Faculty News

Associate Professor of Nurse Anesthesiology Mike Dosch gave the presentation, "Learning to Love the New Ventilation Modes," to the University of Michigan-Flint/Hurley Medical Center Anesthesia Program last August.  Dosch was also appointed to the 2006-2007 Task Force on Doctoral Preparation of Nurse Anesthetists by the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists.

Carla Groh, associate professor of Nursing, co-authored the article, "The Art of Communicating ART Results: An Analysis of Couples' Experience," published last year in Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology, as well as the article, "The relationship between spirituality, purpose in life, and well-being in HIV-positive persons," to be published in the Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care.

Petra Hurt, assistant director of the Nurse Anesthesiology program, has been chosen by the Michigan Association of Nurse Anesthesia Students to receive the 2006 Guiding Light Award.  The award is given annually to Nurse Anesthesia classroom or clinical faculty who are outstanding mentors. 

Bonnie Korn, assistant professor of Nursing, spoke on BSN Completion Education at the RN-AIM first annual convention, Sept. 15 in Holland, Michigan. The topic of the convention was "Differences in Education and Practice of the ADN and BSN Graduate."

Assistant Professor of the Physician Assistant Program Sharon Moser authored the article, "Cardiology Testing: A Case-Based Approach," published last July in Clinical Advisor. Her article, "Pharmacotherapy for Parkinson's disease: Current Options, Promising Future Therapies," was published in August in Journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants.

Associate Professor of Nursing Linda Thiel, O.P., will present, "Launching an Evidence-Based Culture," at the conference, Bridging the Research-Practice Gap, Nov. 16 in Frankenmuth, Michigan.  This past summer, Sr. Thiel gave the presentation, "On Your Mark, Get Set, Go! An Evidence-Based Practice Readiness Survey," at the University of Texas Health Science Center Summer Institute on EBP, as well as the following presentations at Sigma Theta Tau International in Montreal, Canada: 

• "Nurses - Attitudes and Beliefs Toward Evidence-Based Practice"
• "Ascertaining Levels of Readiness for Evidence-Based Practice"
• "A User Friendly Framework for Implementing Evidence-Based Practice in a Community Hospital Setting"
• "Make it Easy, Make it Friendly: Nursing research and the Institutional Review Board"

Nursing Instructor Mary White is the first author of the article, "Depression and Quality of Life in Women Following a Myocardial Infarction," to be published in the Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing.  White also presented the poster, "Implementing a Change: Switching from Heparin to Saline in Pediatric Peripheral IV Lines - A Pilot Project," at the first annual RN-AIM convention, Sept. 15 in Holland, Michigan.

Alumni News

Two recent Nurse Anesthesia graduates have published case reports in the International Student Journal of Nurse Anesthesia.  Both the report on beta-blocking drugs by Cecile Floresca '05, and the one on post-operative nausea by Zorica Raveane '06, were accepted for publication while each was still a student at UDM.

PA News

Physician Assistant Program faculty and a PA student presented during the annual Michigan Academy of Physician Assistant meeting at Grand Traverse resort, October 12-14. Professor Sharon Moser presented on Parkinson’s disease with co-presenter Wendy Besler-Panos, a student in her final year of training. Professor Deb Knight provided a workshop on evaluation of shoulder injuries. Professors Rose Higgins and Mary Urbanek co-presented tips for surviving the clinical year of PA education. PA Program Director Suzanne York, who also serves on the MAPA Board of Directors, participated in meetings with state and national academy leadership.

PA students and faculty also attended the Michigan Academy of Physician Assistant Fall CME program at the Grand Traverse Resort, October 12-15. An alumni reception was held on Friday evening. Students, alumni and faculty had the chance to visit before the Quiz Bowl, which allowed students from each program in the state to compete in a medical challenge bowl. Additionally, students and faculty attended a number of educational sessions and heard from state and national leadership about issues that impact PA practice.

Nearly 40 years after the first physician assistants graduated from Duke University, more than 55,000 PAs are providing essential medical and surgical services to people within the United States and internationally. In commemoration of National Physician Assistant Week, Oct. 6-12, UDM PA students collected items on a "wish list" for Sts. Peter and Paul Warming Center. The Warming Center provides meals, hot showers and sundry items to about 100 people daily from September to May.