This semester the University of South Florida College of Nursing graduated a total of 146 students including one Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP), six PhDs in Nursing, 49 Master’s of Science (MS), and 90 Bachelor’s of Science (BS).

At the University of South Florida College of Nursing Spring 2013 Pinning Ceremony featuring the Alumni Path of Light, May 3, 2013,  Associate Dean of Student Affairs and Community Engagement, Connie Visovsky, PhD, RN, ACNP-BC, welcomed alumni, faculty, family and friends who were celebrating an incredible milestone in the graduates’  journey of lifelong learning as health professionals. The Pinning Ceremony is a nursing tradition which marks the transition of baccalaureate graduates from students to professional nurses.

Many of the students graduated with University honors: 20 Cum Laude, 22 Magna Cum Laude and 2 Summa Cum Laude. Additionally, 1 student,  Temre Smith, earning the highest honors, Summa Cum Laude, has been chosen by the USF Alumni Association to receive the King O’Neal Scholars Award at commencement for graduating with an outstanding 4.0 GPA. Exemplar students were also recognized with several awards including Academic Excellence, Clinical Excellence, Leadership Award, Spirit of Nursing Award, Service Award, Capstone Award, Evidence Based Practice Award, and Quality & Safety Award.

Class mates and room mates, Carolyn Steel and Rachel Tax, both became the third generation of nurses in their families, and both of their mothers and grandmothers were there to celebrate with them at the Pinning Ceremony on May 3, 2013.

“I am fortunate to be able to participate in this pinning tradition with all of our graduating students, and was delighted to meet these two families of 3^rd generation nurses (2^nd Generation Bull Nurses!),” said Assistant Professor, Melissa Molinari Shelton, PhD, RN. “A call to nursing is a special bond they share with one another.  As our College continues to educate the nursing leaders of tomorrow, I expect that we will certainly welcome many more Bull Nurse legacies into our family.”

At the USF Commencement Ceremony recognizing graduate students from all colleges of the university on Saturday, May 4, 2013, Spring 2013 Nursing BS-PhD graduate, Crystal L. Chapman-Lambert, MS, FNP-BC, ACRN, AAHIVS, spoke to more than 730 graduates and their friends and family during the student address. ”I cannot deny that I will forever be a bull, more specifically, a bull nurse,” she said, humbled and grateful for being selected.

“I was honored and horrified because my public speaking is something that I fear, but I was up for the challenge,” Chapman-Lambert said. “Thank you to everyone at the USF College of Nursing for recognizing my hard work and dedication to the advancement of nursing science.”

Chapman-Lambert has shown tremendous success throughout her education journey at USF College of Nursing. In 2007, she was inducted into Sigma Theta Tau International, Honor Society of Nursing, and was the USF Nursing McKnight Doctoral Fellow. In 2011, she also received the Sigma Theta Tau International/Virginia Henderson Clinical Research Grant from Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI) Honor Society of Nursing to allow her to conduct research on HIV-infected women’s knowledge, perceived susceptibility and seriousness of cervical cancer.

“We are all proud of Crystal, and what she has accomplished,” said USF Nursing Distinguished Professor and Thompson Professor of Oncology Nursing, Susan C. McMillan, PhD, ARNP, FAAN, who has been Chapman-Lambert’s mentor during her dissertation. “My perspective is that she is bright and articulate and will be a talented researcher and teacher. I’m proud of her, and wish her an amazing career.”

To read Crystal Chapman-Lambert’s story in its entirety click here.

For related stories on Chapman-Lambert click here.

For information about USF Commencement visit www.usf.edu/commencement 

For more photos from USF Commencement  May3-5, 2013 click here.

For details about USF Commencement Ceremonies held May 3-5, 2013 click here.

University of South Florida College of Nursing alum, Debra Shelby, DNP, ARNP, DNC, received the 2013 USF College of Nursing Outstanding Young Alumnus Award during the College’s Coming Home: 40^th Anniversary celebrations on Feb. 16.

The Outstanding Young Almnus Award, created by USF College of Nursing Alumni & Friends Society, is presented to a graduate of the USF College of Nursing who has graduated less than 10 years ago and demonstrates outstanding achievements in their field.

Dr. Shelby, the Founder & President of the National Academy of Dermatology Nurse Practitioners (NADNP), received the distinguished award for her outstanding career and academic accomplishments.

“Dr. Shelby has proven her passion for education time and again: by founding and building the National Academy of Dermatology Nurse Practitioners; by creating and executing a sold out national conference; by repeatedly publishing articles in her chosen field of dermatology; and by mentoring her fellow scholars at every turn,” said Melissa Molinari, Shelton, PhD, RN, Assistant Professor and Alumni and Friends Society President at USF College of Nursing, before she presented her the award.

Dr. Shelby has provided leadership and sustained clinical experience in the DNP dermatology signature residency program at USF College of Nursing. She has also spent countless hours providing free skin cancer screenings and advocating for awareness in the Tampa Bay area. Currently, she is a PhD candidate at USF Nursing and is an American Cancer Society grant award winner for her dissertation titled: Knowledge, Attitudes and Practice of NPs Regarding Skin Cancer Assessments.

For additional stories on Dr. Debra Shelby click here.

The University of South Florida College of Nursing is partnering with organizations and universities across the country to join the National Interprofessional Education and Practice Consortium to Advance Million Hearts to prevent one million heart attacks and strokes in the United States by 2017 through the Million Hearts initiative.

Million Hearts, a public-private initiative launched by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in 2011, focuses on improving care for people suffering from heart disease through the “ABCS” method. ABCS is a technique that addresses the major risk factors of cardiovascular disease and helps prevent heart attacks and strokes.

The ABCS method stands for:

1. Aspirin for people at risk
2. Blood pressure control
3. Cholesterol management
4. Smoking cessation

USF College of Nursing, under the leadership of Assistant Professor and Concentration Director for Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) at the College, Debra A. Friedrich, DNP, ARNP, FNP-C, CLS, FNLA, is joining the initiative to educate and train nursing students to empower ten patients to make healthy choices utilizing the ABCS. To accomplish this goal, the students will complete a four-hour Million Hearts educational module, which is available online and free of charge.

Debra A. Friedrich, DNP, ARNP, FNP-C, CLS, FNLA, Assistant Professor and Concentration Director FNP

“Upon completion, each student will login in the educational module and enter data on the ten people for whom they conducted Million Hearts screening and/or education for, so they can track the number of people the College has reached through our efforts,” Dr. Friedrich said. “This module is intended to help students learn about how they can impact the population suffering from the disease through Million Hearts and assist the Department of HHS in preventing one million heart attacks and strokes by 2017.”

Check out Dr. Friedrich in the video below where she explains details on the innitiative, which can also be seen on the official USF College of Nursing YouTube Channel.

Dr. Friedrich said by having the students enter anonymous and basic information about the individuals they will screen or educate will allow USF College of Nursing to document the outcomes achieved through this initiative.

According to HHS, there are more than two million heart attacks and strokes in the United States, and more than 2,000 deaths from the disease each year. Cardiovascular disease is responsible for one in every three deaths every year, and takes up 70 percent of the national healthcare spending, the HHS website states.

“Our goal here at USF College of Nursing is to help improve care for people who do need treatment by encouraging a targeted focus on “ABCSs,” Dr. Friedrich said. “This is an outstanding service learning project for students and could be built into a course requirement to teach them about how to improve population health through Million Hearts. Those goals are audacious, but they are achievable through the actions of powerful partnerships. By working together, focused on a common goal, Million Hearts partnerships are taking on the nation’s number one killer and leading the way to a heart-healthy America.”

To learn about Million Hearts initiative visit millionhearts.hhs.gov. To learn about the Educational Module click here.

Debra A. Friedrich, DNP, ARNP, FNP-C, CLS, FNLA, Assistant Professor, Concentration Director, Family Nurse Practitioner will be a guest on the Lipid Luminations satellite radio show with host Dr. Alan Brown on Monday, September 24, from 4:00-4:30 p.m. Central Time (5-5:30 p.m. Eastern Time) to discuss “Treatment Options for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) and the General Female Patient.”

Lipid Luminations is available on the web at  http://www.reachmd.com/xmradioseries.aspx?sid=7. Register to listen live or listen to the archived recording afterwards. If you subscribe to satellite radio you can tune into XM167 for the live broadcast.

Lowie, A. M. (2012). Teledermatology: A tool for nurse practitioner practice? Journal for Nurse Practitioners. 8(8), 617-620. doi:10.1016/j.nurpra.2012.06.003.

Thoenes, M. M. (2012). Acanthosis nigricans: An opportunity for intervention. Journal for Nurse Practitioners. 8(8), 621-625. doi:10.1016/j.nurpra.2012.04.010.

Rockcastle, L. & Kravitz, M. (2012). Should nurse practitioners focus on primary care only? Journal for Nurse Practitioners. 8(8), 608-656. doi:10.1016/j.nurpra.2012.07.019.

Kravitz, M. (2012). Essential dermatology toolbox. Journal of Nurse Practitioners. 8(8), 667-670. doi:10.1016/j.nurpra.2012.07.008.

Friedrich, D. A. (2012, September). The diagnosis and treatment of polycystic ovarian syndrome and its relationship to cardiovascular risk. Podium presentation at the National Lipid Association’s (NLA) 2012 Fall Clinical Lipid Update at the Westin Charlotte in Charlotte, North Carolina.

University of South Florida College of Nursing DNP student, Richard Huff, MS, CRNA, was selected to receive the 2012-2014 Jonas Veterans Healthcare Program Scholarship. Huff is awarded a total of $10,000 in funding, a total amount of $5,000 per year for two academic years. The grant is provided by Jonas Center for Nursing Excellence to USF College of Nursing to support doctoral students.

“I am honored to serve my country as an Air Force CRNA,” Huff said. “It is with great appreciation that I am awarded the Jonas Veterans Scholarship to assist in furthering my doctoral education.”

As a Jonas Veterans Healthcare Scholar, Huff will have the opportunity to attend the Jonas Center leadership and policy expertise development conference for scholars in Washington D.C. He will also have regular meetings with his faculty mentor, Kevin Kip, PhD, FAHA, Associate Professor and Executive Director for the Research Center at USF College of Nursing.

Huff’s research focuses on the comparison of ultrasound guided versus standard techniques in the CRNA students’ training for the placement of regional anesthesia, and postoperative nausea and vomiting for the female gynecologic patient.

Huff was commissioned as a 1^st Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force Base Nurse Corps in 2001, and was deployed to Baghdad, Iraq to serve as a Critical Care Air Transport Nurse (C-Cat) in 2003. He earned his master’s degree in Nurse Anesthesia at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences through an Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) scholarship. That program also supports his DNP education at the USF College of Nursing.

Jonas Center For Nursing Excellence, funded by Barbara Jonas Family Fund, is an organization that offers advance scholarships focusing on leadership, innovation, and partnerships across the philanthropic, business, policy, and education sectors.