2016 Spring Nursing Newsletter

Vital Signs
Spring 2016 Newsletter
From the Chair’s View
By Dr. Karen S. March
Greetings! It is with pleasure that I introduce this spring edition of
the newsletter. In it you will enjoy news about the academic and
extracurricular activities of the students, faculty, and staff in The
Stabler Department of Nursing over the past several months.
In October, the department hosted an onsite evaluation of its undergraduate, master’s and post-master’s programs. An official response
from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education is expected by
the end of May.
News from nursing clinical courses includes medical-surgical nursing,
pediatric and obstetric nursing, and community health nursing.
Additionally, projects of the graduating Doctor of Nursing Practice
(DNP) students are highlighted.
I am certain that you will enjoy
reading about the many newsworthy activities of the department,
including a geriatric nursing conference; students’ service learning
in India; the induction ceremony
for the Honor Society of Nursing
Sigma Theta Tau International; a
health literacy initiative; the com- Karen S. March, PhD, RN, ACNS-BC
mencement address given by a
nursing faculty member; highlights of student athlete achievements;
activities of our student nurse organization; nurse anesthetist students’ celebration of CRNA week; and a proud alumnus story.
Students Experience Culture in India
By Kari Rodenhauser, Senior Nursing Student
Dr. David Fyfe, York College geography professor, offers the course
every other year; he teaches the course and then leads the students
on the trip.
For the majority of the time, we stayed and worked at an orphanage
in Visakhapatnam, India, called Homes of the Indian Nation. Our
group whitewashed a fence and wrapped Christmas gifts for children,
along with other chores. The group included seven nursing students
in various stages of the York College nursing curriculum. All were
especially interested in children’s health. “We used our nursing
knowledge to do health teaching with the staff and children,” said
Casey Hollopeter.
The York College group spent the last few days of the trip traveling
and sightseeing. We even saw the Taj Mahal!
traditional Indian sarees during a service-learning trip to India.
The culture in India is much different from ours. As a future
healthcare provider, I feel it is important to see different cultures.
Cultural competency is important for nurses to help us modify
patient care to suit patient needs and beliefs.
Over this past winter break, I traveled with 14 other York College
students to India for a service-learning project. The 25-day trip was
part of a course we took in the fall semester, G241 International Service Learning: Making a Difference in a Globalizing World.
I have a better grasp on how to be understanding when cultural
beliefs and practices differ and when there is a language barrier.
I’m glad I spent this time with the people of India—it was certainly
a positive experience for me.
Nursing students Sarah Spina, Rachel Sweezy, Mary Kate Creel, Morgan
Hoagland, Sam McGuigan, Casey Hollopeter, and Kari Rodenhauser wear
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The Stabler Department of Nursing
Nursing Honor Society Recognizes New Members
Eta Eta Chapter, the York College chapter of the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International, promotes excellence in nursing scholarship, leadership, and research. The chapter inducted 45 new members: 39 undergraduate students, 4 graduate students, and 2 nurse leaders.
Undergraduate Student Inductees
C. Bardin
C. Bohlen
S. Bower
A. Bull
E. Burke
J. Comstock
M. Elways
K. Fontana
K. Graver
S. Hague
C. Hollopeter
S. Hood
J. Jerusik
A. Kritzer
T. Laughman
D. Leas
E. Marcinkiewicz
C. Marinaro
D. Mohlhenrich
M. Myers
H. Ortman
O. Rehman
K. Stefanik
A. Stives
M. Stockslager
K. Swartzbaugh
K. Merwine
E. Smith
B. Miller
T. Smith
K. Rodenhauser
M. Waits
Nurse Leader Inductee
Graduate Student Inductees
K. Ruth
D. Williams
J. Geister
T. Shank
J. Wieworka
K. Morrow
A. Zimmerman
Unavailable for Photo
E. Lopez
H. Martin
B. Shelton
E. Vandament
R. Walker
J. Corrigan
A. Sheets
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DNP Class of 2016 Celebrates Accomplishments
Three advanced practice nurses will graduate with the Doctor of
Nursing Practice (DNP) degree in May 2016. The DNP program, a
two-year, 37-credit program, includes rigorous coursework in organizational behavior and systems change, health policy, quality improvement and safety, informatics, population health, applied statistics,
and evidence-based practice and translation models.
Over the last several months, the DNP students have each implemented an evidence-based practice change, evaluated the translation
process and outcomes, and written their final papers and manuscripts. They presented their work in poster format at the Eastern
Nursing Research Society conference in Pittsburgh, PA. They will
defend their final scholarly project in front of their DNP committees
at York College on May 4, 2016.
Ann E. Norwich MSN, CRNP, ACHPN
The Palliative Care Dementia Project: Improving 0utcomes
for hospitalized patients with dementia
Ann Norwich is the Lead Nurse Practitioner for Palliative Care
Medicine at Gettysburg Hospital, a small community hospital and
WellSpan entity, which serves a predominantly
rural population. Ann’s project was guided by
the following question: For hospitalized patients
with dementia, do early palliative care consults
decrease: length of stay, inpatient mortality,
30-day readmission, and costs? After a thorough
review of the evidence, Ann led the Palliative
Care team at Gettysburg Hospital to begin early
initiation of palliative care for patients with dementia. The results of
this practice change show a two day reduced length of stay and a
decreased cost of $2,756 per patient for those who received a palliative care consult within 24 hours of admission.
team of providers through the complex implementation of the Rothman Index across two critical care units with the goal of reducing
30-day readmissions.
Amy E. Seitz Cooley MS, RN, ACNS-BC
Using a multifaceted education intervention to improve
nurses' recognition and management of delirium
Amy Seitz Cooley is a Clinical Nurse Specialist at WellSpan, York
Hospital. Amy’s project was guided by her desire to improve outcomes for patients with delirium through better recognition and
improved plans of care to manage delirium.
Amy posed the following question: Does implementing a multifaceted delirium education
program for nurses result in increased delirium
recognition as evidenced by improved documentation of delirium risk factors, delirium
screens, non-pharmacological interventions,
and initiation of delirium interdisciplinary
plans of care for patients 65 years and older on a medical/surgical
unit? After appraising the evidence, Amy discovered compelling evidence for using education to improve nurses’ knowledge and recognition of delirium. To that end, Amy introduced a multifaceted delirium
education program using multiple educational methods, with content
on delirium risk factors, causes, signs/symptoms, and prevention and
management strategies. Education methods included a computerbased training module, didactic in-services, a bulletin board,
handouts, a delirium mnemonic, and bedside coaching. Throughout
the spring semester, Amy has been monitoring the practice change
and assessing the outcomes. Data analysis revealed statistically significant improvements in documentation of delirium risks, delirium
screens, non-pharmacological interventions used, and initiation of
delirium plans of care.
Lynn S. Motz, MSN, CRNP, ACNP-BC
Reducing 30-day readmission using the Rothman Index for
discharge decision-making
Lynn Motz is an acute care nurse practitioner in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit at the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.
Lynn’s project focused on implementation of predictive analytics to reduce 30-day readmissions
for high-acuity patients. A systematic evidence
appraisal identified the “Rothman Index” as the
most robust electronic predictive scoring system.
The Rothman Index can predict patients at high
risk of readmission within 30 days of discharge
from the hospital. Lynn led an interprofessional
Nursing Convocation
5:00 pm
Friday, May 13, 2016
Waldner Performing Arts Center
Keynote Speaker:
Anne Parson, CRNA
Anesthesia Associates of York
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The Stabler Department of Nursing
Alum is Convocation Keynote Speaker
Shannon Reedy Idzak, DNP, CRNP, FAANP, gave the keynote address at the December 2015 York College Nursing
Convocation. She is the assistant dean of the Doctor of Nursing Practice program and associate professor in the Department of
Organizational Systems and Adult Health, University of Maryland School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD.
Dr. Idzak, a 1996 graduate of the York College nursing program, earned her master’s of science in
nursing and doctorate of nursing practice degrees at University of Maryland. She is a certified nurse
practitioner who teaches classes for nurse practitioner students.
Dr. Idzak spoke to 50 graduating students and their friends and families. Her message focused on
advocacy. “Use your voice. Advocate for your patients. Advocate for yourself, as part of the largest
profession in the US.”
“As the linchpins of the health care system, you, more than any other, bear the burden of safeguarding
patient welfare...not only by providing highly-skilled care, but by using your voice to educate the public
about the role and function of nurses, and advocating for greater support from policymakers.” She advised the graduates to get
involved, ask questions, challenge the status quo, join state professional organizations, and seek leadership opportunities.
She closed with, “It is my privilege to share this important milestone with you and to congratulate you on your perseverance
and accomplishments...and on behalf of my fellow nursing alumni at York College…we welcome you to our prestigious club.
We are counting on you. We wish you success! Make no mistake: You hold our future in your hands.”
Health Literacy Initiative
Task Force is the culmination of Dr. Bucher's
York College sabbatical.
Professor Julia Bucher, PhD, RN (red blouse) and
Katie Shradley ‘06, MSN, RN, (far right) are
members of the Healthy & Wise Central PA Task
Force. The group worked to improve health liter-
The task force, an initiative of the Foundation
for Enhancing Communities, included community and state leaders in health and human
services from six central Pennsylvania counties. The group discussed challenges and
opportunities to support health of older
adults. They focused on seven areas: health
literacy basics, communicating with health
professionals, medication safety, finding reliable health information, health insurance
literacy, teach-back, and measuring success.
Dr. Charlotte Wool, assistant professor, was selected by graduating seniors to
provide the commencement address in
December. Her remarks were called “The
places you’ve been” and encapsulated the
stories students told about their experiences while attending York College.
acy of older adults.
Professor Julia Bucher champions health
literacy for community-based organizations
serving older adults. The Health Literacy
Project of the Healthy & Wise Central PA
The Health Literacy Project resulted in educational materials for staff in community-based
organizations and a web-based toolkit of
health literacy materials.
www.tfec.org/initiatives/health-literacy/
Dr. Wool advised graduates to work with
excellence, integrity, and kindness so their
personal legacies could echo through history. The nursing students honored
Dr. Wool with a standing ovation.
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By Kari Rodenhauser, Senior Nursing Student
Since 2001, York College’s Donald and Dorothy Stabler Department of Nursing has operated Nurse Managed Centers throughout the
City of York. These Centers were established
to create clinical placements for students in
the NUR400 Community Health Nursing
course. The Centers provided a servicelearning opportunity for students, while offering health promotion and wellness services to
medically underserved and economically disadvantaged York City residents.
Nursing leadership and faculty, academic
leaders, and President Gunter-Smith have
had lengthy discussions regarding the future
of the Nurse Managed Centers, with particular attention to the primary goal of the program: providing quality clinical servicelearning experiences to our nursing students.
As a result of these conversations, the decision was made to move the program in a different direction.
Beginning in fall 2016, students in NUR400
Community Health Nursing will complete
their course clinical in a variety of home
healthcare agencies.
There are many to thank for the success of our
Nurse Managed Centers over these past 15
years. This success is a direct result of college
and community partners joining together to
serve a population in need.
Dr. Cheryl Thompson, York College faculty
member who has led the Nurse Managed
Center initiatives, will continue to coordinate
the NUR400 Community Heath Nursing clinical. She will continue to collaborate with
Kelly Chaisson (white shirt) and Jordan Gore talk
with a client in the client’s home during their
community health clinical experience.
community partners to explore viable options
where service-learning can be integrated into
course clinical experiences.
Senior Lock-In
Courtney Gladstone, Chelsea Witmer, and Erin
Kelsey Craig, Paige Whelan, and Moira Connors
SNAP-YCP eboard member Amanda Billig pre-
Marcinkiewicz enjoy a soda and pizza break
take time out to count raffle tickets that they
sents the grand prize cardiology stethoscope to
before going to the next session.
won during review sessions.
Stefi Holtzer.
Passing NCLEX on the first try: every nursing
student’s goal! Even before they graduate,
students want to score well on the HESI, an
exam that predicts their performance on the
NCLEX.
Thus was born what we hope will become a
tradition - “The Senior Lock-In.”
“Who Wants to be a Millionaire” and a minireview on fluid balance. Students rotated to a
different station every half hour, with opportunities to win raffle tickets at each station.
SNAP-YCP provided raffle prizes and The
Stabler Dept. of Nursing donated pizza.
Wanting to help her peers accomplish these
goals, SNAP-YCP president Aubrey Bull came
up with an idea for a senior study session.
Aubrey solicited help from faculty and staff
members who prepared fun, fast-paced sessions on a variety of topics. There was Maternal Health Jeopardy, Lab Values Bingo, Skin
Assessment Matching, Name that ABG, iPad
Pharmacology Review, What’s Next? Prioritizing Patient Care, NCLEX Ins and Outs,
It was hard to tell who had more fun – the
faculty or the students!
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The Stabler Department of Nursing
Nursing Athletes Excel in Sports and Scholastics
Ali Posey
Holly Martin
Morgan Golec
Beth Wiseley
Andy MacGibbon
Darris Rodrigues
The York College athletic program is blessed to have a number of outstanding students who wear the Green and White. Our 423 S partan studentathletes earned an average GPA of 3.21 for the 2015 fall semester. Fifty of our student-athletes are nursing majors; they hold an average cumulative GPA of 3.52. Here’s a look at some of the top nursing student-athletes who represent York College in various arenas of play:
Field Hockey
The duo of Ali Posey and Holly Martin led the Spartans to another
successful season. Posey, a sophomore forward, garnered the program’s first ever All-American award, earning the national honor in
November. Posey started all 19 games as she poured in 41 points on 18
goals and five assists. She had two game-winning goals and was 4-for5 in penalty strokes for the year. Posey’s 18 goals are tied for second
on the program’s single-season list while her 41 points are tied for
third. Posey earned her second straight All-CAC first team award
while she also earned All-Region honors. Posey has a 3.09 GPA in her
three York College semesters.
Martin, a senior midfielder, closed out her stellar Spartan career by
earning first-team All-CAC accolades. She concluded her career with
10 points on three goals and four assists in 19 games as a senior leader
for the Green and White. She finished her Spartan career with 44
points on 16 goals and 12 assists in 70 career matches. Martin boasts
a 3.80 GPA and has been a member of the Dean’s List in all seven
semesters of her academic career.
Cross Country and Track & Field
Andy MacGibbon, Darris Rodrigues and Kathleen Cannon
are a trio of standouts for the Spartans’ cross country and track & field
programs.
MacGibbon is a two-way player for York as he is in both cross country
and track & field. He is an All-CAC performer in cross country. MacGibbon earned his second straight berth on the All-CAC second team
in cross country after he placed 14th at this fall’s championship with a
time of 26:06.7. His strong showing at last year’s CAC championships
in York has spring boarded the sophomore to being one of the top
distance runners for the Spartans. MacGibbon owns a 3.68 GPA and
has earned Dean’s List honors in all three of his collegiate semesters.
Rodrigues has established himself as one of the top pole vaulters in
the CAC. The sophomore had a fantastic showing at last year’s spring
CAC championships as he placed fifth. He has followed that up with a
number of top indoor placements in early 2016. He will be one of the
top contenders heading into the outdoor pole vault season. Rodrigues
has a 3.60 GPA and has been on the Dean’s List twice.
Cannon earned her second All-CAC finish this fall at the cross country
championships. Cannon, a junior, placed ninth at the championships
with a time of 23:31.5. She had a very strong showing during the
spring including a fifth place finish in the 5,000 meter run at the conference championships in York. Cannon has a 3.47 GPA and has been
named to the Dean’s List twice.
Women’s Basketball
Morgan Golec and Beth Wiseley have combined to help lead the
York College women’s basketball team to 17 wins heading into the
final week of the regular season. Golec, a junior forward, has played in
21 games during her third year in the Green and White. She is averaging 6.6 points and 4.7 rebounds per game as she is a key member of
the Spartan rotation. Golec is a two-time member of the Dean’s List
and has an overall GPA of 3.46.
Wiseley has returned to the Spartan lineup after suffering a foot injury
to start the season. She has played in 13 games with nine starts for the
Green and White. Wiseley is averaging 5.7 points and 2.8 rebounds
per game. She is shooting 43.1% from the floor, 41.2% (14-for-34)
Page 7
Kathleen Cannon
Katelyn Cattrano
Erin Mensch
Chelsea McDowell
from three and 71.4% from the free throw line. Wiseley is a three-time
Dean’s List honoree and boasts a GPA of 3.70.
Women’s Lacrosse
Katelyn Cattrano and Erin Mensch return to lead the eighth
ranked Spartans into the 2016 season. The duo each had significant
roles in the Spartans’ trip to the Elite Eight last May. That is the farthest the program has advanced in the 10-year history of women’s
lacrosse at York College. Cattrano, a junior attacker, played in 21
games last year as she scored 28 points on 24 goals and four assists.
She also had 13 ground balls, two draw controls and a caused turnover. She is York’s second leading returning scorer for 2016. Cattrano
is a two-time Dean’s List student with a 3.51 GPA.
Mensch, a junior defender, was a key member of the Spartans’ defense
as she started all 21 games for the Green and White. She recorded 17
ground balls, 13 draw controls, and 14 caused turnovers as a first-year
starter for the 15-win Spartans. Mensch boasts a 3.65 GPA and has
earned Dean’s List honors in four semesters.
Softball
Courtney Martin enters her sophomore year as the top pitcher for a
young and talented Spartan softball squad. Martin earned All-CAC
honors as she was 17-14 with a 2.59 ERA in 197.2 innings of work. She
made 35 appearances with 28 starts as a freshman in 2015. She had 24
complete games and five shutouts. She has a 3.87 GPA and has been
on the Dean’s List in all three of her collegiate semesters.
Elexa Sherman
Courtney Martin
Darian Naill
Women’s Soccer
Chelsea McDowell and Elexa Sherman were both captains for
the Spartans’ 2015 Capital Athletic Conference championship squad.
McDowell, a senior, was a starting defender for the Green and White
and closed out her stellar career as a two-time CAC champion.
McDowell started all 20 games as she scored three points on a goal
and an assist from her defensive position. McDowell is a two-time
Dean’s List student and owns a 3.35 GPA.
Sherman played in 18 games with nine starts as a junior. She recorded
one goal, a game-winner for the Spartans. Sherman has a 3.62 GPA
and is a four-time Dean’s List honoree.
Freshman Nursing Student-Athletes
The Green and White has a number of first-year nursing studentathletes who have made a significant impact on their respective
Spartan squads. They are players who you will likely be reading about
as their careers progress.
Ethan Budsock – Men’s Cross Country & Track (3.46 GPA)
Maddy Mann – Women’s Swimming (3.43 GPA)
Jennifer Morrissette – Field Hockey (3.03 GPA)
Rachel Wagner – Women’s Tennis (3.87 GPA)
Women’s Tennis
Darian Naill is a key member of the York College women’s tennis
squad. Naill had a strong fall 2015 campaign for the Spartans as she
went 3-0 in singles play while she also combined with her partner to
go 3-0 in doubles play. Naill, a junior in 2015-16, is a three-time
Dean’s List student with a 3.58 GPA.
Budsock
Mann
Morrissette
Wagner
Page 8
Stabler Department
of Nursing
The Stabler The
Department
of Nursing
Honor Society Awards and Scholarships
Lynne Beeson, Cheryl Mattern, Abi Strouse (front row), Lynn Warner and
Three Eta Eta Chapter members received scholarships: Helen
Melissa Schneider (back row) received Excellence in Nursing Awards.
Copenheaver, Jessica Jerusik, and Lindsay Sentz.
Eta Eta Chapter, the York College Chapter of the Honor Society of
Nursing Sigma Theta Tau International, announced the recipients of
its 2015 awards and scholarships.
Melissa Schneider, DNP, RN-BC, ONC, CNRN, earned the
Excellence in Nursing Research Award. Missy is Assistant Professor
of Nursing, York College, and Patient Clinical Educator, WellSpan
Health, York Hospital.
Lynne Beeson, DEd(c), MEd, BSN, RN, PCC, CEC, was
honored with the Excellence in Nursing Mentorship award. Lynne is
the Administrative Director for Organization Performance and Effectiveness, Summit Health System.
Jessica Jerusik, BS, RN, received the Undergraduate Student
Scholarship. Jessica, from Newark, DE, graduated from York College
in 2015.
Cheryl Mattern, MEd, BSN, CSN, merited the Excellence in
Nursing Practice award. Cheryl is a certified school nurse in the
Central York School District.
Lindsay Sentz, BS, RN, received the Graduate Student Scholarship. Lindsay, a 2012 York College graduate, is working toward her
master’s degree in the nurse anesthetist program at York College.
Abi Strouse, DNP, RN, ACNS-BC, NEA-BC, CBN, was recognized for Excellence in Nursing Leadership. Abi is Director of Surgical/Neuroscience/Orthopedic Services, WellSpan Health, York
Hospital.
Helen Copenheaver, BSN, RN, ONC, received the Glenn and
Dorothy Stafford Scholarship which supports an evidence-based
practice project. Helen, a 2007 York College graduate, is a Clinical
Nurse III, Post-Surgical Unit, WellSpan Surgery and Rehabilitation
Hospital. She is working toward a master’s degree in nursing at York
College; she will be an adult gerontology clinical nurse specialist.
Lynn Warner, PhD, RN, exemplifies Excellence in Nursing Education. She is an Associate Professor of Nursing, York College of PA.
York College students and faculty attended the sixteenth annual PinnacleHealth New Horizons in Birth Conference in Camp Hill, PA.
Front row: Diana Sibley (RN mentor), Brooke Rehman, Morgan Hoagland, Paige Whelan, Moira Connors. and Erin Blair. Back row: Dr. Jan Taylor (faculty),
Kristinn Davis, Chelsea Bardin, Emily Knapp, Kelsey Graver, Chelsea Witmer, Casey Hollopeter, Amy Farb, and Dr. Pam Hollenbach (faculty.)
Page 9
YORK COLLEGE ALUM EXPLORES OKINAWA, JAPAN
Michele Taylor, 2015 graduate of the York College nursing program, is a U.S. Naval Officer stationed in Okinawa, Japan. Here’s her story:
“My transition from college to Registered Nurse has been a complete whirlwind! I was
accepted into the Navy Nurse Candidate Program after junior year and completed an
externship that summer in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit at Johns Hopkins Hospital. I
graduated with my BS in nursing last May, passed the NCLEX, completed five weeks of officer
training in Rhode Island, moved to Okinawa, Japan, and began work at the U.S. Naval
Hospital Okinawa, the largest overseas hospital in the United States Navy.
Starting my nursing and naval career in Okinawa has been an incredible opportunity! I
planned on being an ICU nurse but was assigned to the Mother Infant Care Center – and fell
in love with labor and postpartum nursing. My job is similar to what it would be like in the
civilian sector. I go to work in scrubs and work twelve hour shifts. My patients are military
personnel or the spouses or children of military personnel. The key differences for me being in
the Navy are the rank system and terminology. I have a chain of command to keep everything
running smoothly and in order. I supervise and work with corpsmen, who can be compared to
LPNs. I live on base in officer housing.
Ensign Michele Taylor stands at the entrance of
the U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa, in front of a
torii, a traditional Japanese gate that marks the
transition to a sacred place.
Okinawa is the perfect place to explore this part of the world. I have visited mainland Japan and have trips to China, Thailand, and Taiwan
planned for the upcoming months. At first, entering two different cultures - the military and a foreign country - at the same time seemed
overwhelming to me. Now I look forward to the adventure of learning and experiencing new things every day.”
Nurse Anesthetist Students Celebrate CRNA Week
By Julie Linton, Student Registered Nurse Anesthetist
(CRNA) Week across the nation. The York
College/WellSpan Health Nurse Anesthesia
Program celebrates the same way every year –
by giving back to the community.
First-year nurse anesthetist students Erin Drumheller, Michelle Harkanson, Matt MacDonald, Lina
Ramos, Ashlee Wheeler, Danielle Filer, and
Melissa Dean worked together to improve
student housing at Conemaugh Memorial Medical
Center, Johnstown, PA.
Every year the final week of January brings
more than just predictions of snow – it brings
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist
This year the faculty and staff of the NAP
decided to put a twist on their traditional
community outreach. The housing provided
for students in clinical rotations at
Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center in
Johnstown, PA, was in need of some serious
sprucing up! Half of the student body, along
with all three faculty and some very dedicated
family members made the three-hour trip to
Johnstown. The novice (first-year) class
showed their school spirit by using a York
College van to make the trip.
The NAP crew dusted, mopped, scrubbed,
and even snaked drains until the “Conemaugh
Cottage” was sparkling and clean. The main
bath now has new tropical décor thanks to
Dr. Richard Haas, NAP program director, and
Professor Howard Burtnett, faculty member,
who made a run to Walmart. Senior students
Mike Souhrada, Alyssa Jensen, and Jason
Lippy created an entirely new bedroom on the
main floor. Dr. Jason Lowe, assistant director
of the NAP program, fondly known by his
students as “Dr. Safety,” checked all the
smoke detectors in the student housing.
This project benefits not only the York NAP,
but many other nurse anesthesia programs
that send students to the facility as well. This
undertaking was a great opportunity to celebrate our profession, spend some fun time
together, and give back to our anesthesia
community.
Page 10
The Stabler Department of Nursing
SNAP-YCP Keeps Busy
B y J a m i e G a l l o , S e ni o r N u r s i n g S t u d e n t
Fall 2015 was an eventful semester for SNAPYCP (Student Nurse Association of Pennsylvania). We participated in fun community
events including blood drives on campus, a
Walk to End Alzheimer’s, reverse trick or
treating on the York Hospital pediatrics unit,
Breakfast with Santa, and a public education
program about HPV.
In addition to getting involved in the community, SNAP-YCP members heard different
speakers from the nursing community: Jeff
Reichl, a psychiatric nurse; Maria Schonbrunner, an ICU nurse and York College graduate;
Dr. Richard Haas, a nurse anesthetist; and
many more!
SNAP-YCP also continued its mentor program “Coffee and Care Plans” aimed at helping students enrolled in NUR210 with care
plans as they begin their nursing journey.
Finally, SNAP-YCP members had the exciting
opportunity to attend the SNAP state conven-
tion in Harrisburg. Here, students were able
to speak to employers, learn about the history
of nursing, and get insight on how to be successful in their careers.
This semester, the fun continues. We will hear
speakers from Aureus Medical Agency on
travel nursing and the Department of Veteran
Affairs on telehealth nursing. We will also
continue our monthly first Monday bake sales
in Diehl Hall lobby.
We had our first annual Senior Lock-In in
March from 7pm to 12am. We had NCLEX
review games with prizes (and pizza!) to help
our seniors prepare for their state boards. We
attended the National Student Nurse Association convention in Disney World at the end of
March!
SNAP-YCP will continue participating in several community events including Relay for
Life, the JDRF Walk for type 1 diabetes, a
military care package drive, and a blood drive
on campus.
All dressed up at the SNAP State Convention in
Harrisburg! Standing: Sarah Hood, Brooke Derr,
Jonathon Krout, and Jamie Gallo. Seated: Kari
Rodenhauser, Katrina Stefanik, James Gonzales,
Levi Silbaugh, Aubrey Bull, and Amanda Billig.
Stay up to date with all of the exciting activities SNAP-YCP has to offer. Pick up our calendar at the media lab window and be sure to
like SNAP-YCP on Facebook and follow
@ycpsnap on Twitter and Instagram! We look
forward to seeing many new faces this semester!
Community Health Nursing
By Katrina Stefanik, Senior Nursing Student
As I was sitting in my first day of NUR400
Community Health Nursing, I felt a little
overwhelmed. You mean we actually have to
go to people’s houses – by ourselves – know
how to assess them, use critical thinking skills
AND make clinical judgements?! We were on
our own and no longer confined to a floor of a
hospital with our clinical professors hovering
over us.
However, as I met my clients the first day
with a stethoscope in my ears and a blood
pressure cuff in my hands, I felt confident
that the York College nursing program had
prepared us with the skills necessary to provide competent clinical judgements.
Melissa Elways takes a client’s blood pressure
reading during her community health nursing
clinical rotation.
Clients waited for us, ready to ask their health
questions and heed the advice of the York
College nursing students. Some eagerly wanted to show off how much they had exercised
and others told us about the healthy diet they
ate that week. It was a great trade off - nurs-
ing students able to practice their skills while
the community obtained the benefit of health
promotion, disease prevention, and socialization.
I had one client who consistently brought in
his weekly exercise and food log. In return,
I was able to teach him about carb counting,
talk to him about indoor exercises, and provide him with community resources. His effort and enthusiasm dedicated to creating a
healthier change in his life was contagious.
It was exciting knowing that his success was
partially due to the influence of York College
nursing students.
Realizing that we have the potential to encourage a change in someone’s life - well,
that’s the magic of nursing!
Page 11
“Great to Greater” Nursing Geriatrics Conference
orated to provide a full-day conference on
nursing geriatrics for students, alumni, and
area nurses.
The conference, A Multidisciplinary Approach to Caring for an Aging Population,
was held on the York College campus in October 2015. It was funded with a York College
“Great to Greater” grant. Eighty healthcare
providers and students attended.
Event organizers and nursing faculty members
Dr. Melissa Schneider and Dr. Lisa Ruth-Sahd,
with keynote speaker Dr. Barbara Resnick
(seated).
The Stabler Department of Nursing, Dr. Lisa
Ruth-Sahd, and Dr. Melissa Schneider collab-
The keynote speakers were Barbara Resnick,
PhD, RN, CRNP, FAAN, FAANP, from the
University of Maryland School of Nursing, on
optimizing function and physical activity of
older adults, and Judi Hertz, PhD, RN, FNGNA, FAAN, Past President of the National
Gerontological Nursing Association, on patient-centered multidisciplinary care.
Dr. Mary Ligon, York College gerontology
professor, spoke on dementia; Dr. Michael
Reihart, chief emergency physician, Lancaster
General Hospital, on trauma; Dr. Quynh
Dehoff, clinical pharmacist, WellSpan Health
System, on pharmacotherapeutics; and Cathy
Bollinger, managing director of Embracing
Aging, York Area Agency on Aging, on changing the perception of aging.
Speakers from the York College nursing
department included Professor Susan Scherr
on dental hygiene, Professor Barbara Conforti
on holistic assessment, and Dr. Julie Beck,
Dr. Oma Riley-Giomariso, and Dr. Brigitte
Haagen on the transformation of health care
for an aging population.
Students Benefit from Dedicated Education Unit
Professor Kelli Masters, DNP, RN, CCRN,
course coordinator and clinical faculty for
NUR340, the medical/surgical nursing
course, implemented a project to improve
nursing students’ knowledge of quality and
safety by integrating Quality and Safety Education for Nurses into clinical nursing education through development of a dedicated education unit (DEU).
She worked with Erika Kovacevic RN, BSN,
NE-BC, nurse manager, to develop a DEU on
5 Main, WellSpan York Hospital.
In the DEU, nursing students are paired with
front-line staff nurses. Students and nurses
were educated about quality and safety competencies. Students collaborated with their
nurse mentors to develop a project related to
these competencies.
Students experienced real life quality and
safety topics as they reviewed unit data on
pressure ulcers, falls, and pain scores; administered barcoded medications; documented in
electronic medical records; and participated
in interdisciplinary bedside rounding.
Outcomes have been promising. Students who
participated in the DEU had higher scores on
exam questions related to quality and safety.
Course evaluations from students indicated
positive experiences. Students felt recognized
as members of the profession. One said, “It
really felt like we were RNs. It showed us a
glimpse of what we will be doing as RNs.”
Kelli Masters, DNP, RN, CCRN, York College
faculty member, and Erika Kovacevic RN, BSN,
NE-BC, WellSpan York Hospital nurse manager,
collaborated on a project to integrate quality and
safety education into nursing students’ clinical
Themes emerged from the data collected by
Dr. Masters: thirsting for knowledge, building
teamwork and collaboration, establishing
trust and decreasing anxiety, mirroring organization and time management skills, and
evolving confidence in the nursing role.
Dr. Masters and Ms. Kovacevic recently presented their collaborative project,
experience.
“Integrating Quality and Safety Education
through a Dedicated Education Unit: An Innovative Academic-Practice Partnership” at
the Pennsylvania Organization of Nurse Leaders Conference where they received the “Best
Poster” award.
Page 12
The Stabler Department of Nursing
Snapshots of York College Nursing Department
Ted Eck, dialysis patient, spoke on life as a renal
Becca Brasko’s selfie with NUR210 students in
Jason Stover, MS, RN, CCRN, clinical faculty,
failure patient, and Ginger Herr, dialysis nurse,
their new lab coats. They’re on the shuttle head-
teaches Katie Warner and other senior students
talked about dialysis techniques in Dr. Ruth-
ing to WellSpan Health York Hospital for orienta-
about care of critically ill patients. Jason works
Sahd’s NUR505 Advanced Pathophysiology class.
tion to their first clinical unit. Exciting day!
on the York Hospital rapid response team.
Gracen Schilling, Callie Gahagan, Mary Lobeck
Senior Lock-In: Stefi Holtzer, Steph Bresnan, and
Brian Dix, mass communications major, and
celebrate with Dr. Lynn Warner, nursing faculty,
Abagail Stives enjoy a review activity that pre-
Kelsey Graver, nursing major, at the York Col-
after she presented her last lecture. She will
pares them to take the HESI exam, a test that
lege 100 Day Celebration. Counting the days
continue in her favorite role - clinical instructor.
predicts their score on the state licensing exam.
until their graduation day!
Karli Coppens, Darian Naill, Lynn Gable, Dr. Lisa
Abby Baker and Tori Schmidgall man the bake
NUR240 Perioperative Nursing students loved
Ruth-Sahd (faculty), and Rachel Harrington
sale table for SNAP-YCP, our student nurse asso-
the operating room! Front: Amanda Sheets,
participate in a live simulation lab session in
ciation. Proceeds from fundraisers help to send
Ashley Zink, Jenn Rogers, and Cheyenne Bohlen.
NUR210 Basic Principles. The “patient” is
students to state and national conventions.
Back: Katie Warner, Emily Burke, Heyde Landis,
NUR210 classmate Daniel Shemonski.
SNAP-YCP members went to Orlando this spring!
Courtney Golden, Katrina Stefanik, Jade Grim.