USF Health will team with Tampa Family Health Centers to build a health care workforce integrating primary and geriatric care

Tampa, FL (Aug. 13, 2015) — The University of South Florida, in partnership with Tampa Family Health Centers (TFHC) and Senor Connection Center (SCC), has been awarded a three-year, $2.24-million federal grant to help prepare a health professions workforce to improve care for older adults.  The USF Health colleges of Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy, the School of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Sciences, the USF Health Byrd Alzheimer’s Institute, and the USF School of Aging Studies will be among the collaborators for the project.

USF Health was one of 44 organizations in 29 states receiving a portion of the more $35 million awarded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration through its Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program.   The grants support interprofessional geriatrics education and training to provide care responsive to community needs.  Florida State University was the only other awardee in Florida.

Rita D’Aoust, PhD, of the USF College of Nursing, is principal investigator for the interprofessional Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program project teaming USF Health with Tampa Family Health Centers.

“The competition for this funding was intense, so the award is a testament to the existing and expanding clinical collaboration across our USF Health colleges,” said principal investigator Rita D’Aoust, PhD, associate professor and associate dean of academic affairs and interprofessional initiatives in the USF College of Nursing. “The grant will help us better prepare a workforce to support the state’s growing geriatric population and address gaps in health care for older adults.”

“This grant will be invaluable to Tampa Family Health Centers’ mission to provide quality, caring and accessible health care to a culturally diverse community, in particular older adults,” said Charles Bottoms, MBA, chief executive officer of TFHC.

TFHC — a Federally Qualified Health Center operating 15 clinics across Hillsborough County — provides medical, dental, pharmacy and behavioral health outpatient services to children and adults in underserved communities.

Senior Connection Center — the local Aging and Disability Resource Center — helps elders and their caregivers understand and navigate the complex web of services, agencies, long-term care, and home and community-based options available to them.

The project is expected to provide direct “age-friendly” primary care services to 6,000 underserved TFHC patients age 60 or older, with the Byrd Alzheimer’s Institute offering direct services, including memory screening outreach and cognitive testing, to another 1,156 patients.

Tampa Family Health Centers, a Federally Qualified Health Center operating 15 clinics across Hillsborough County, provides medical, dental, pharmacy and behavioral health outpatient services to children and adults in underserved communities.

Working with TFHC, USF Health faculty will tailor a geriatrics curriculum offered to USF medical, nursing, pharmacy and physical therapy students as well as residents and fellows interested in specializing in geriatric care.  Trainees will rotate through TFHC under faculty supervision for clinical training integrating geriatric and primary care.

The grant will also help build the geriatric workforce capacity within TFHC, including funds for hiring and training four case managers and two patient care navigators.  Through interprofessional training and educational opportunities, USF Health will enhance the knowledge and skills of 300 TFHC health care professionals, including physicians and pharmacists, so they can better assess and meet the needs of older adults and their families or caregivers.

 -USF Health-
USF Health’s mission is to envision and implement the future of health. It is the partnership of the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, the College of Nursing, the College of Public Health, the College of Pharmacy, the School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences, and the USF Physician’s Group. USF Health is an integral part of the University of South Florida, a high-impact, global research university dedicated to student success. For more information, visit www.health.usf.edu 

Media Contact:
Vjollca “V” Hysenlika, College of Nursing Communications
(813)974-2017, or vhysenli@health.usf.edu

New USF College of Nursing ranking reported in Military Times

Tampa, FL (May 15, 2015) – The University of South Florida College of Nursing has been named the number 1 veteran-friendly nursing school in the nation, Military Times reports in a supplement to its Best for Vets series of survey-based rankings. USF gets top billing by College Factual in a separate computer-based ranking of the top 10 veteran-friendly colleges for a bachelor’s degree in nursing.

Published earlier this week in Military Times, the ranking is based on such factors as affordability, size of the college’s veteran population and commitment to veteran-related programs. The description notes that USF “offers a special nursing degree for veterans who have trained as medics” —  the federally-funded College of Nursing program known as V-CARE, led by Rita D’Aoust, PhD, associate dean of academic affairs and interprofessional initiatives.

L to R: Charlotte Symonds and Chad Koerlin, students in the USF Health Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist Program with LaSonya D. Malbrough, DNP, CRNA, USF assistant professor of nursing. — Photo by Ashlea Bailey, USF College of Nursing, 2012.

To increase collaboration across several military-focused projects, the college implemented the Research and Education to Rehabilitate and Restore the Lives of Veterans (RESTORE LIVES) initiative. To encourage a military-friendly culture, the college designed Challenge coins to recognize college and community members for their military service. A military liaison was also appointed to enhance partnerships with organizations serving veterans and those on active duty.

“We’re extremely proud of the endless opportunities we’ve created for veterans, service members and their families in all areas including research, education and clinical practice,” said Dianne Morrison-Beedy, PhD, senior associate vice president of USF Health and dean of the College of Nursing. “This recognition proves that we’re heading in the right direction.”

Through RESTORE LIVES, the College of Nursing created several programs to benefit the military population. These include V-CARE, a bachelor’s degree building upon military health care training and experience, and Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), a research initiative investigating a promising technique to treat military service members and veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), including sub-studies related to women in combat. The college also holds an annual Joining Forces to Restore Lives national conference, which will be held this fall in Cumbria, United Kingdom.

To learn more about USF Nursing’s veterans initiatives watch video here. 

-USF Health-
USF Health’s mission is to envision and implement the future of health. It is the partnership of the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, the College of Nursing, the College of Public Health, the College of Pharmacy, the School of Biomedical Sciences and the School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences; and the USF Physician’s Group. The University of South Florida is a global research university ranked 50^th in the nation by the National Science Foundation for both federal and total research expenditures among all U.S. universities. For more information, visit www.health.usf.edu.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=5evxbZjaXYY

Tampa, FL (Sept. 25, 2014) – The University of South Florida College of Nursing has partnered with Hillsborough Community College (HCC) to offer a concurrent bachelor’s degree in nursing. This is a first-of-its-kind partnership between USF and HCC.

The partnership allows students to simultaneously enroll in HCC’s associate degree in nursing (ASN) and USF College of Nursing’s bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN). Qualified students will be able to complete both an ASN and BSN in an accelerated manner from USF and HCC.

The concurrent degree takes effect immediately, with all courses taught online.

“We are absolutely thrilled about the partnership between USF College of Nursing and HCC,” said Dianne Morrison-Beedy, PhD, RN, WHNP-BC, FNAP, FAANP, FAAN, senior associate vice president of USF Health and Dean of the College of Nursing. “This is a collaboration that is vitally needed by the community, state and country to fill the gap of nurses with baccalaureate degrees.”

USF College of Nursing students in the bachelor’s degree program.

This ASN to BS degree will allow individuals who meet the qualifications to enroll at both institutions simultaneously. Students can begin taking courses at USF after they complete their first semester at HCC.

“Rather than competing or duplicating with HCC, we chose to collaborate and leverage each other’s resources to meet the needs of our community,” said Rita D’Aoust, PhD, ACNP, ANP-BC, CNE, FAANP, FNAP, associate professor and associate dean for academic affairs and interprofessional initiatives at the USF College of Nursing. “Through this collaboration, HCC students will have the opportunity to learn in a high-tech environment and take classes taught by world-class faculty at the USF College of Nursing.”

HCC serves more than 47,000 students on five different campuses. The community college offers more than 160 academic programs including a two-year nursing degree. HCC is the largest community college feeder to USF.

“Providing HCC nursing students with concurrent enrollment at USF is just one of the many examples of our efforts to expand educational opportunities for our students,” said Ken Atwater, PhD, president of Hillsborough Community College. “This collaboration between HCC and USF will provide expanded clinical opportunities for students, enabling them to gain valuable work experience and ensuring their placement into the USF bachelor’s degree program.”

-USF Health-

USF Health’s mission is to envision and implement the future of health. It is the partnership of the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, the College of Nursing, the College of Public Health, the College of Pharmacy, the School of Biomedical Sciences and the School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences; and the USF Physician’s Group. The University of South Florida is a global research university ranked 50^th in the nation by the National Science Foundation for both federal and total research expenditures among all U.S. universities. For more information, visit www.health.usf.edu.

-Hillsborough Community College-

Hillsborough Community College serves more than 46,000 students annually at five campuses and three centers throughout Hillsborough County. HCC is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

Media Contact:
Vjollca “V” Hysenlika, College of Nursing Communications
(813)974-2017, or  vhysenli@health.usf.edu

Video produced by Vjollca Hysenlika and shot and edited by Jose Donneys, USF Nursing Communications.
Photo by Ashlea Bailey, USF College of Nursing

But last October, she toured USF’s soon-to-open Center for Advanced Medical Learning and Simulation (CAMLS). Tour guides for the framed out space promised suites filled with state-of-the-art equipment for learning and practicing a range of medical procedures. They noted how the $38 million facility was the only one of its kind and that the 90,000-square-foot building would bring an unprecedented level of technical and teamwork training, simulation and competence assessment under one roof, as well as significant research and device innovation capability.

Lloyd Ohls and Hayley Suratt practice critical operating room skills at CAMLS.

So when USF asked her to join its CRNA program, her choice was easy, she said.

“CAMLS solidified my decision that USF is where I want to go,” said Marciano, who is currently a nurse at Shands Hospital in Gainesville. “I know the level of education I’ll receive at USF will put me way above other programs. The training I’ll get is incomparable. How can you even compare?”

Marciano is one of 33 students who will start the graduate-level course this fall. This CRNA group is the College of Nursing’s largest since it recently added 13 spaces to the 6-year-old program –a 40 percent increase from last fall. To help meet the demand, the College has added three new graduate level simulation courses and doubled its faculty.

A STRONG REPUTATION FOR QUALITY
In 2011, USF’s CRNA program received a full 10-year reaccreditation from the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs. The program’s graduates have an overall licensure exam pass rate of 100 percent with a first-time pass rate of 89 percent. In addition, the program boasts an employment rate of 100 percent for its graduates.

Those milestones, coupled with the move to CAMLS, have pushed the recent surge in growth and meant a spike in the number of applications, said Erik Rauch, DNP, CRNA, assistant professor and director of the Nurse Anesthesia Concentration at the USF College of Nursing.

“Word is definitely getting out about the quality of our program and our connection with CAMLS has really put us in the national spotlight,” Dr. Rauch said. “We’re drawing a lot of interest and have seen a huge increase in the number of applications, especially from beyond our state. Nearly half of this new class of 33 is from outside of Florida, representing nine other states, as well as Guam.”

“The USF College of Nursing is nationally recognized for our cutting-edge research, and innovative educational programs,” said Dianne Morrison-Beedy, PhD, RN, WHNP-BC, FNAP, FAANP, FAAN, senior associate vice president for USF Health and dean of the College of Nursing. “We are proud to have one of only 112 accredited nurse anesthesia programs in the nation. With the recent move to USF CAMLS, our nurse anesthesia faculty and students have access to world-class simulation technology, including both civilian and military patient simulators, that establishes USF as the leader for nurse anesthesia education and training in the Southeastern United States.”

THE ADVANTAGE IS THE TRAINING
Although the young CRNA program has always had simulation built into its curriculum, its new home at CAMLS offers an entirely new environment with more simulation equipment offering greater specialization, including training suites with 20 anesthesia scenarios.

CRNA student Charlotte Symonds uses CAMLS simulation to perfect skills under watchful eyes of CRNA program Director Dr. Erick Rauch and fellow student Chad Koerlin.

“USF nurse anesthesia students train on the most advanced, high-fidelity patient simulation in the nation through CAMLS,” said Rita F. D’Aoust, PhD, ANP-BC, CNE, FAANP, associate dean for Academic Affairs, director for Interprofessional Initiatives at the USF College of Nursing.

“And through CAMLS, our students also have opportunities for interprofessional experiences that will give them a decided advantage when they enter their profession. Training with those additional scenarios will help our graduates feel very comfortable when they get to a real hospital setting and the OR. And it’s not just about the scenarios, but about building and practicing strong communications and teamwork skills that will truly make the difference.”

That is exactly the feeling of Michael Lupari, who is a senior in the USF CRNA program.

“Simulation provides the backbone for training anesthetic providers by creating real-life scenarios for rehearsing common and life-threatening problems without any risk to a real patient,” said Lupari, who was a critical care nurse in Fort Lauderdale before moving to Tampa to attend USF.

“As nursing and medical education changes its paradigm to a competency-based curriculum it has become increasingly important to evaluate ability using simulation. On a much larger scale, the public has been the major impetus for these changes as they demand more qualified and competent providers in the medical industry.  One way to meet these changes head-on is through the use of simulation.”

Joanna Bailey, Lloyd Ohls, Hayley Suratt, and Chad Koerlin build important team communication skills at CAMLS

Bolstering that training are three new simulation courses the College was recently approved for and will incorporate into its curriculum starting Fall 2012.

“These new courses complement our desire to offer a unique simulation addition to our anesthesia didactic courses that are already in place,” Dr. Rauch said. “They will allow students to apply everything they are learning in their courses to a simulation operating room environment prior to ever stepping foot in a real operating room. This is a huge benefit to promoting a higher quality education and preparing the most qualified nurse anesthetists upon graduation, which ultimately equates to higher quality care and patient safety.”

A HIGH-DEMAND JOB OPPORTUNITY
A nurse anesthetist is a nurse who has acquired graduate-level education for the administration of anesthesia and is board certified.

CRNAs practice in every setting in which anesthesia is delivered, from traditional hospital surgical suites and obstetrical delivery rooms to offices of dentists, podiatrists, ophthalmologists, plastic surgeons, and pain management specialists, as well as with the U.S. military, Public Health Services, and Department of Veterans Affairs healthcare facilities. CRNAs are the sole anesthesia providers in nearly half of all hospitals and more than two-thirds of the rural hospitals in the United States. Nurse anesthetists also serve our country by providing 100 percent of all anesthetics for the United States Army frontline facilities.

“CRNA’s are in high demand and carry a heavy load of responsibility, but they can expect to be compensated accordingly,” Dr. D’Aoust said. “There are great job opportunities, high autonomy and responsibility, and compensation.”

“Not only do CRNA’s provide more than half of the anesthesia in the nation, they are also the main providers of anesthesia care to U.S. military personnel on the front lines,” Dr. Morrison-Beedy said. “At USF, we have veterans and reservist faculty in our nurse anesthesia program who bring their knowledge and skills of military health issues to train CRNA’s in high demand by all the military services.”

Training nurses for all of these environments before they graduate is the differentiating factor for the USF program. And that difference comes directly from CAMLS, Dr. Rauch said.

“Almost everything we do in the classroom will be coupled with simulation training at CAMLS,” he said. “CAMLS is now THE greatest resource in the country for nursing.”

That fact is front and center for incoming student Marciano. She said she knows her choice to go with USF will help her stand out when it comes to finding a job because the program is that much better.

“I have several friends who are heading to CRNA programs all across the country,” she said. “After hearing about my decision and about USF and about CAMLS, now they’re all saying ‘I wish I had known about that!’ “

Story by Sarah A. Worth, USF Health Office of Communications.
Photos by Ashlea Hudak, USF College of Nursing Communications.