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Nursing  and Health Studies at UW-Green Bay is pleased to announce Athena Farias, a student in our NURSE 1-2-1 Program has been named the 2016 recipient of the $1000 LaVerne Foster Memorial Scholarship.  The Deaconess School of Nursing Alumnae Association has proudly supported nursing education in Wisconsin for many years. In 2016 the Association donated $5,000 to fund five separate educational scholarships through the Wisconsin League of Nursing (WLN).  Unique to this funding is the LaVerne Foster Memorial Scholarship of $1,000 awarded to a high school student who will be entering a nursing education program.

Athena is a Freshman student in our NURSE 1-2-1 Program.  Her home town is Denmark, Wisconsin.  She received the Scholarship during the WLN Fall Conference on November 4, 2016.  Congratulations to Athena!

Taken from USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin Jan. 19, 2017 article….

Hepatitis C is increasing across central Wisconsin — with one county experiencing six times more cases over a five-year period — and health officials want people in at-risk groups to get tested as soon as possible.

Failure to get tested and treated can have serious consequences, including liver disease and eventually liver cancer from hepatitis C, said Melanie Behr, nursing supervisor for the Portage County Health Department.

For a direct link and more information, go to: http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/story/news/2017/01/19/hepatitis-c-cases-spike-central-wisconsin/96170486/

 

As of January 1, 2017, UW-Green Bay’s “Professional Program in Nursing” has updated its name to “Nursing and Health Studies.”

“In the past, “Professional Program in Nursing” accurately captured the department offerings. However, this name no longer reflects the current available programs and further suggests that there is only one program,” explains Christine Vandenhouten, Chairperson, Nursing and Health Studies.

The department began in 1981 offering a campus based Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) completion program for associate degree Registered Nurses (RN). It expanded over the years and currently delivers BSN education via three RN to BSN completion tracks: campus BSN, BSN@HOME (an online UW collaborative program for Wisconsin students), and BSN-LINC online for students outside of Wisconsin. Starting this last semester, a new 4 year BSN program, NURSE 1-2-1 combines the resources of Northeast Wisconsin Technical College (NWTC) and UW-Green Bay.  The department also added a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program with an emphasis in Leadership and Management in Health Systems during 2013.

In addition to the nursing programs, Nursing and Health Studies is part of two collaborative programs: Health Information Management and Technology (HIMT), a baccalaureate program which started in 2012; and Master of Science in Health and Wellness Management (MSHWM) which began in September of 2016. The collaborative programs are offered through the combined resources of the department along with faculty from other UW-Green Bay disciplines as well as other UW System campuses.

Congratulations to our Fall Semester 2016 graduates. For those unable to attend the graduation ceremony, we have assembled a “Virtual Graduation” on our YouTube channel. The video uses video from a previous graduation ceremony and recognizes all of our Fall 2016 graduates. Click the following link to experience the sights and sounds of commencement at the Weidner Center on the UW-Green Bay campus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPZ3LF8afD8 .

The following is a list of the graduates by degree and location of residence. Congratulations to all 55 of our graduates this year. This includes 50 BSN students and 5 HIMT students. We wish you the best of luck in your careers!

Health Information Management Technology

• Melissa Jo Cady, B.S. – Waupaca, WI
• Katie Emily Eichman, B.S. – Suamico, WI
• Dawnell Lynn Klein, B.S. – Rubicon, WI
• Jaclyn Marie Racolta, B.S. – Mundelein, IL
• Harmony Brooke Rutzinski, B.S. – Madison, WI

Bachelor of Science in Nursing

• Danielle Tyler Albee, B.S.N – Wallingford, CT
• Marie Elizabeth Annexy, B.S.N – Richmond, TX
• Debra J. Bellin, B.S.N – Appleton, WI
• Stacie Lynn Beschta, B.S.N – Seymour, WI
• Lisa Bogel, B.S.N – Jewitt City, CT
• Therese Marie Brokmeier, B.S.N – Argonne, WI
• Stacy Ann Brophy, B.S.N – Wittenberg, WI
• Carly Dassow, B.S.N – Fitchburg, WI
• Nicole Hope DeBauche, B.S.N – New Franken, WI
• Kimberly Margaret Doll, B.S.N – Birnamwood, WI
• Anita M. Doxtater, B.S.N – Green Bay, WI
• Barbara Jean Ernst, B.S.N – Sobieski, WI
• Thomas M. Fonferek, B.S.N – Green Bay, WI
• Lori Marie Garlick, B.S.N – Plum City, WI
• Rebecca Jo Gerarden, B.S.N – Wauwatosa, WI
• Nicole Kristin Greene, B.S.N – Rogers, MN
• Carly Elizabeth Haenel, B.S.N – Watertown, WI
• Megan Ilene Heikkinen, B.S.N – Green Bay, WI
• Amanda Rae Hilgart, B.S.N – Park Falls, WI
• Mark Robert Hunter, B.S.N – San Diego, CA
• Laura Lee Jones, B.S.N – Green Bay, WI
• Jenna Aili Jurmu, B.S.N – Waukesha, WI
• Sara Marie Kazmierczak, B.S.N – Stephen, MN
• Katie Klueger, B.S.N – Sheboygan, WI
• Jessica Kolb, B.S.N – Sheboygan, WI
• Stacy Kay Kortas, B.S.N – North East, MD
• Mary Christine Lange, B.S.N – Platteville, WI
• Rebecca Ann Lohagen, B.S.N – Monico, WI
• Melissa Rene Madlem, B.S.N – Oneida, WI
• Tina Marie Mccracken, B.S.N – Cashton, WI
• Kelly Jean Miller, B.S.N – Green Bay, WI
• Annette E. Nehring, B.S.N – Waupaca, WI
• Katlyn Kelly Nelson, B.S.N – Appleton, WI
• Jacqueline Joan Nourse, B.S.N – Weston, WI
• Miwako Arakawa Ogurek, B.S.N – De Pere, WI
• Rebecca Lyn Porod, B.S.N – Marinette, WI
• Kelsey Sue Porter, B.S.N – Appleton, WI
• Kaylee Sara Proctor, B.S.N – Oshkosh, WI
• Whitney Caryn Recla, B.S.N – Howard, WI
• LauraJean June Saylor, B.S.N – Blaine, MN
• Ruth Ann Scheck, B.S.N – Green Bay, WI
• Laurie Lynn Simonson, B.S.N – Baraboo, WI
• Lauren Rose Snyder, B.S.N – Hurley, WI
• Dawn Rene Sprister, B.S.N – Suamico, WI
• Tammy Lynn Stanislawski, B.S.N – Rosholt, WI
• Lauren Elizabeth Stellato, B.S.N – De Pere, WI
• Angela Marie Strain, B.S.N – Hastings, MN
• Kaelee Sophia-Jay Swanson, B.S.N – Hurley, WI
• Lindsey Elizabeth Unright, B.S.N – Green Bay, WI
• Stephanie Rose Zoller, B.S.N – Ironwood, MI

Maribeth Hetherington, recently retired Chief Change Officer and former Interim Director of Clinic Operations at Door County Medical Center (Sturgeon Bay, WI), has been named the 2016 recipient of the UW-Green Bay Distinguished Nursing Alumni Award. Hetherington was a 1986 graduate of the university’s BSN completion program.   She developed and implemented a restructured supervisory leadership model during her tenure at DCMC and was featured early this year in the American Healthcare Leader Magazine article on “Schooling Healthcare” which described her innovative leadership methods designed to empower employees.

Prior to her time at DCMC, Hetherington served as Vice-President and Chief Nursing Officer for ThedaCare, Inc. (Appleton, WI) where her role as the executive leader of a new inpatient care delivery model was recognized in an international publication. The model was featured in the Shingo Award Winning book “On the Mend: Revolutionizing Healthcare to Save Lives and Transform the Industry” by John Toussiant, M.D. and Roger A. Gerard, PhD with Emily Adams.

Hetherington had a perfect 4.0 grade point average as a student at UW-Green Bay and was a charter member of the Sigma Theta Tau Nursing Honor Society. She reflected on her time at UW-Green Bay mentioning the flexibility of the program for a working nurse and mother of small children; the high quality of the professors; and the recognition she received for her prior learning which netted her 6 credits toward her degree.

Hetherington was presented the Distinguished Nursing Alumni Award at a recognition gathering at Door County Medical Center on October 20 by UW-Green Bay Chairperson of Nursing, Dr. Christine Vandenhouten and Manager of Student Outreach and Alumni Relations, Jan Malchow.

Looking back over her career, Hetherington summarized by saying, “I have had the pleasure of working in many diverse and rewarding roles as a nurse in a long and successful career, and have been grateful for the opportunities the nursing profession has offered me in my life. UWGB was integral in my journey and I will forever be thankful for having the opportunity to complete my BSN there.”

 

When Melissa Metz graduated from the UW Bachelor of Science in Health Information Management and Technology (HIMT) program through UW-Green Bay in May, she was already two months into her ideal job. As a healthcare business analyst for Marshfield Clinic Information Systems (MCIS), Melissa uses her health information management (HIM) and health IT experience and knowledge every day.

“I expected to be working with numbers every day, but there’s so much more to my job,” Melissa says. MCIS provides electronic health record (EHR) products and services to all types of healthcare organizations, including Marshfield Clinic Health Systems, a leading provider of healthcare services. In her position, Melissa works with clients and MCIS’s development team to get new EHR systems up and running.

UW HIMT students usually choose a specialization in HIM or health IT, but Melissa completed both tracks of study. HIM track courses focused on the business side of EHRs and patient information, and health IT courses gave her the skills to build software.

She says specializing in both areas boosted her career.

“MCIS is the only healthcare software organization in my area, so health IT jobs are competitive. I think it was my thorough understanding of HIM and health IT that got me the healthcare business analyst job over many other applicants.”

Before discovering her career in HIMT, Melissa earned a dairy farming certificate from UW-Madison and became a large dairy herd manager. After a few years, she felt drained from the long work hours and craved more interaction with people, so she stepped back and assessed which parts of the job she enjoyed. “I really liked dealing with the online records, which is the reason I looked into the HIMT degree,” Melissa says.

Going back to school on campus was not an option since Melissa had a job and two young daughters at home. The online HIMT program through UW-Green Bay allowed her to earn a bachelor’s degree and make a career change while still keeping up with things she enjoyed in her free time such as spending time with family, gardening, and running. Originally, Melissa intended to just do the health IT track, but since taking online courses fit so well in her life, she decided to spend a little more time taking the four classes needed to complete the HIM track.

Melissa uses what she learned in her courses on database management, hospital and clinic workflows, and project management daily. “At work, it’s my responsibility to manage projects and see them through. I’m so happy I had practice developing projects and timelines in my courses.”

The final course, the capstone experience, was the most beneficial course Melissa took. She was able to tailor the semester-long capstone project to her interests and gain real work experience before graduation. Unlike most capstone experiences, Melissa completed hers online. She set up a database for nurses to track the progress of patients at a geriatric facility.

The project helped steer her in the right direction—toward a blended HIM and health IT career that she’s passionate about and toward the Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) certification exam, which she passed in August.

“I get to see the whole EHR process unfold right before my eyes as well as how we can learn and improve health care. This kind of work is what makes me tick.”

For more information on the HIMT Program, see our website at: http://www.uwgb.edu/himt/.

On October 17, the University Professional and Continuing Education Association (UPCEA) will award the BSN@Home program the 2016 Celebration of Excellence Award for Mature Program. UPCEA is the leading association for professional, continuing and online education and serves more than 400 institutions, including most of the leading public and private colleges and universities in North America. The Mature Program award recognizes established credit or noncredit programs that have demonstrated sustained innovation.

BSN@Home is an online Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree-completion program that provides a flexible distance learning option for registered nurses (RNs) with a two-year Associate Degree in Nursing. The BSN@HOME Program is a collaboration of UW-Eau Claire, UW-Green Bay, UW-Madison, UW-Milwaukee, UW-Oshkosh, UW-Stevens Point and UW-Extension.  Over the last two decades, 1,804 graduates have earned their BSN degrees through this program.  Each year, UW-Green Bay has had the highest enrollment among UW partners.

At launch, the primary goal of the BSN@Home program was to help address the shortage of BSN-prepared nurses predicted by the Wisconsin Center for Nursing. As the program matured, its goal became even more relevant. In 2011, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommended that 80 percent of the nursing workforce have a baccalaureate degree by 2020. This recommendation is based on evidence showing improved outcomes for patients cared for by nurses with higher education levels.

“According to the Wisconsin Center for Nursing 2014 RN Workforce Survey, a significant number of RNs still need to earn their BSN degrees for the state to achieve the national goals. A more educated nursing workforce equates with better patient outcomes,” says UW-Green Bay Dean, Susan Gallagher-Lepak, longtime chair of the BSN@HOME Steering Committee.

“When the program originally launched twenty years ago, many people thought a quality nursing program could not be taught from a distance; however, this innovative program has since become an enduring part of UW System,” says Sylvia Forbes, BSN@Home Program coordinator from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. “The BSN@Home program has built partnerships with agencies and technical colleges throughout the state and we will continue to provide this quality program in an attempt to remove barriers to earning the BSN degree.”

Chris Vandenhouten, Chair of Nursing at UW-Green Bay said, “Patients, employers and the profession benefit when nurses advance their education. BSN@Home is an effective way for associate degree prepared nurses to complete a BSN degree. UW-Green Bay has been a strong partner in this collaboration and with online nursing education.”

For more information about the BSN@Home program, please visit http://bsnathome.com/.

Shawano County, Wisconsin is looking to fill an open Public Health Nurse position.  The position reports to the Health Officer/Director and provides professional public health nursing services in home, clinic, and community health settings.  Services include assessment, care and referral, policy development and assurance.  Promotes health and provides health education in areas of chronic illness, communicable diseases, nutrition, safety, tobacco control and wellness; coordinates various health care programs including maternal and child health, immunizations, women’s health, lead poisoning prevention, oral health, school health, preparedness and other programs.

Hours:  This is a full-time, exempt position working 37.5 per week, typically Monday thru Friday, normally 8:00-4:30 p.m.   

Wage:  Wage rate is $39,721 – $41,983 annually  DOQ.

If you are interested in being considered for this position, please complete the job application available through the Shawano County website (http://www.co.shawano.wi.us) and return to the Department of Administration no later than 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, August 3, 2016.   A resume and letter of interest must be included with application along with proof of nursing credentials.

Dr. Christine Vandenhouten has been named the Chair of the Professional Programs in Nursing, starting her new position on July 1, 2016.  She has been on the UW-Green Bay Nursing faculty since 2008 following 17 years as an Associate Professor at Bellin College.  She also served in a variety of staff positions in Public Health, Perioperative Nursing and a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.  Her professsional interests include Professional Nursing Assessment and Program Evaluation in Higher Education and Population Programs; Political Involvement/Civic Engagement of Nurses and Health Professionals; Credentialing and Certification in Nursing; Interprofessional Education, Research Methods; Design and Survey Development; and Health Policy.

Dr. Vandenhouten earned her BSN from Marian College, MSN from UW-Oshkosh, and her PhD in Nursing at Marquette University with an emphasis on Nursing Education and Vulnerable Populations.  She has been active faculty member in the RN to BSN programs, MSN in Leadership & Management in Health Systems, and is the Academic Director of the new MS in Health & Wellness Management which launches this fall.  Dr. Vandenhouten has also lead the Nursing & Health Travel Course to Cuernavaca, Mexico for a number of years.

The Professional Programs in Nursing welcome Dr. Vandenhouten in this new role and look forward to her leadership in the future of our nursing and health studies programs.

Dr. Susan Gallagher-Lepak, Chair of the Professional Programs in Nursing since 2012, has been promoted to the Dean of the new College of Health, Education and Social Welfare, effective July 1, 2016.  Professor Gallagher-Lepak has served on the faculty of the Nursing programs at UW-Green Bay since 2003.  She earned her BSN from Marquette University, MSN from UW-Milwaukee, and PhD in Rehabilitation Psychology from UW-Madison. She has over 25 years of clinical practice and scholarship in E-learning, clinical reasoning, nursing diagnosis and other clinical issues including pharmacology in rehabilitation case management and depression.

UW-Green Bay recently re-organized into a four academic college model.  The Professional Programs in Nursing, Education and Social Work are under the new College of Health, Education and Social Welfare. Dr. Gallagher -Lepak retains her Professorship in Nursing, but is excited by the possibility of growing all of the programs in the new college.  Congratulations to Dean Gallagher-Lepak!