xt7mpg1hkd6q https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7mpg1hkd6q/data/mets.xml The Frontier Nursing Service, Inc. 2014 bulletins English journals Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Frontier Nursing Service Quarterly Bulletins Frontier Nursing University, Vol. 89, No. 2, Spring 2014 text Frontier Nursing University, Vol. 89, No. 2, Spring 2014 2014 2014 true xt7mpg1hkd6q section xt7mpg1hkd6q FNU

FRONTIER NURSING UNIVERSITY
Spring 2014

Volume 89

Number 2

Pioneers for Healthcare
Celebrating 75 Years of Caring
for Women and Families

* TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction to FNU ........................................................................1
The Journey – Dr. Susan Stone ..........................................................2
Alumni Spotlight..............................................................................4
Courier Corner .................................................................................6
Courier Spotlight .............................................................................8
Field Notes ....................................................................................10
Beyond the Mountains ...................................................................18
Notes .............................................................................................21
Wendover Report ...........................................................................23
Footprints ......................................................................................25
In Memoriam .................................................................................31
Tributes ..........................................................................................31
Board of Directors ..........................................................................32
Mary Breckinridge Society Recognition ..........................................33
Your Gifts at Work .........................................................................35
US ISSN 0016-2116
Frontier Nursing Service Quarterly Bulletin (USPS 835-740, ISSN 00162116)
is published at the end of each quarter by Frontier Nursing Service, Inc.,
132 FNS Dr., Wendover, KY 41775.
Periodicals Postage Paid at Hyden, KY, and at additional mailing offices.
Subscriptions: $5 per year.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Frontier Nursing Service
Quarterly Bulletin, 132 FNS Dr., Wendover, KY 41775.
Copyright FNS, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Frontier does not share its donor mailing list.

* QUARTERLY BULLETIN

Introduction to Frontier Nursing University

ary Breckinridge spent her early years in many parts of the world — Russia, France, Switzerland and the British Isles. After the deaths of her two
children, she abandoned the homebound life expected of women of her class
to devote herself to the service of families, with a particular focus on children.
Mrs. Breckinridge founded the Frontier Nursing Service in 1925 after several
years of studying and practicing nursing and midwifery in the United States,
England, Scotland and France. It was the first organization in America to
use nurses trained as midwives collaborating with a single medical doctor,
based at their small hospital in Hyden. Originally the staff was composed
of nurse-midwives trained in England.
They traveled on horseback and on foot to
Our aim has always been
provide quality primary care, including mato see ourselves surpassed,
ternity care, to families in their own homes.
and on a larger scale.”
In 1928, she recruited young people to serve
–Mary Breckinridge,
as Couriers and help the Frontier staff and
Wide Neighborhoods, 1952
nurse-midwives in all manner of efforts. In
1939, Mrs. Breckinridge established a school
of nurse-midwifery. The school provided graduates, many of whom stayed to
offer care to families in Leslie County, Kentucky.

“

Today, Mrs. Breckinridge’s legacy extends far beyond Eastern Kentucky through
Frontier Nursing University (FNU), which offers a Doctor of Nursing Practice
degree and a Master of Science in Nursing degree with tracks as a Nurse-Midwife, Family Nurse Practitioner and Women’s Health Care Nurse Practitioner.
FNU has students and graduates serving all 50 states and many countries.

How to Reach Us
The Office of Development and Alumni Relations: Please direct questions, comments
or updates to Denise Barrett, Director of Development, at (859) 899-2828 or send an e-mail to
development@frontier.edu.
The Wendover Bed & Breakfast Inn: The Big House, Mary Breckinridge’s home, is a licensed
Bed & Breakfast Inn located at Wendover. For reservations or to arrange a tour, call Michael Claussen,
Development Coordinator, at (859) 899-2707 or e-mail michael.claussen@frontier.edu. Group tours
can be arranged, and we are always happy to set up tours for organizations and educational programs
with an interest in nursing history and Appalachian studies.
1

* FRONTIER NURSING UNIVERSITY

THE JOURNEY
By Dr. Susan E. Stone,
Frontier Nursing University President and Dean

FNU welcomes two
new members to the
Board of Directors
Dr. Peter Schwartz and Dr. Phyllis Leppert

am pleased to report that two new members were elected to the Board of
Directors for Frontier Nursing University in 2013. Phyllis Leppert and
Peter Schwartz bring a wealth of experience and expertise to the Board.
Dr. Peter Schwartz graduated from the Roxbury Latin School,
received his Bachelor’s Degree from Harvard College, and his
MD from Boston University. After an internship at the University of Utah and two years in the United States Peace Corps
in Western Samoa, he completed his Residency in Obstetrics
and Gynecology at Yale University.

* QUARTERLY BULLETIN

He spent thirteen years in Northampton Massachusetts, where he was a member of the Council of the Massachusetts Section of the American College
of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and was also on the Executive
Committee of the Massachusetts Medical Society. From 1987 until November
2005, and again from 11/2012 until the present he has been the Chair of the
Department of Ob Gyn at the Reading Health System.
His major academic interests have been medical ethics and medical liability
and patient safety. He was Professor of Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology at
the University of Pennsylvania and is currently Professor at Drexel University.
Dr. Phyllis Leppert started out as a nurse-midwife in the
1960s, then took a turn toward medical school, earning an
MD in 1973 and then a biology PhD in 1986. She developed
a research interest in the biology of the uterine cervix, and
specifically its elastin fiber network. After a stint as chief of
the Reproductive Services Branch of the National Institute of
Child Health and Human Development, she joined Duke University’s obstetrics and gynecology faculty in 2006. There she focuses on issues in reproductive
health and primary and preventive reproductive medicine for women. She has
written for women’s magazines and today focuses on uterine fibroids, a health
scourge that affects 7 of 10 U.S. women of childbearing age.
We are honored to have Dr. Schwartz and Dr. Leppert join the FNU Board of
Directors and appreciate their service and commitment to advanced nursing
and midwifery education.

* FRONTIER NURSING UNIVERSITY

alumni spotlight

April Dobroth, FNP

pril Dobroth always pictured herself as a family nurse practitioner. So,
when the time came, she made the choice to return to school to pursue
the Master of Science in Nursing degree. April graduated from Frontier
Nursing University in 2011. As a family nurse practitioner, April provides
high quality, compassionate and culturally sensitive health care to the rural
community she serves. She chose FNU based on her love of the mission and
of the university history. April says that because of her close philosophical
alignment with FNU, she knew she had found her academic home. Today,
she is living her dream on a daily basis, providing much needed health care
services to the people of the Santo Domingo Pueblo.
Providing services to a community of approximately
5,000 of the Santo Domingo Pueblo Tribe as well
as other tribes of the greater New Mexico area has
made a pivotal difference to the native community.
The Kewa Pueblo Health Clinic provides much
needed access to a wide variety of medical services
in a medical home model of care. Services include
medical care, mental health services, hyperbaric
treatment, dialysis, public health nursing and dental services. Transportation to and from the clinic
is provided daily to those in need. Plans are in the
works to expand care to an open access model which will incorporate home
visits, extended hours of care and school based services.

Today, she is
living her dream
on a daily basis,
providing much
needed health care
services to the
people of the Santo
Domingo Pueblo.

* QUARTERLY BULLETIN

While April is clearly keeping Mary Breckinridge’s dream of serving “wide
neighborhoods” alive in New Mexico, part of her heart has been left in Hyden.
She says, “The Frontier network has always felt like more of a family to me
with the home being Hyden, KY and stretching to some of the farthest
regions of the United States.” As an alumnus she has remained in contact
with many of her classmates and professors whom she looks to for support,
expertise and knowledge.
However, April is keeping up her own level of expertise and knowledge
according to her many certifications and awards. She holds certifications
from the AANP as a Family Nurse Practitioner and UNM Project ECHO
certification in the treatment of Hepatitis C, 12 Lead ECG certification and
Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (pediatric and adult). Additionally, April has
advanced training in substance abuse, traumatic brain injury and post traumatic treatment. She is an instructor in Basic Life Support, Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support, Neonatal Resuscitation, Trauma Nurse Core Course,
and has Emergency Nursing Pediatric Certification.
April is a member of the Sigma Theta Tau Honor Society, AANP member,
AANP Legislative Committee Member, New Mexico Nurse Practitioners
Council Member and American Holistic Nurses Association member. She
has been Employee of the Month at the NM State Penitentiary (2012) and
at the Kenwa Pueblo Health Center (2013). She has also been the recipient
of the outstanding clinical preceptor award for the year at Colorado Health
Science Center (2001).

“

The Frontier network has always felt like more of a family to
me with the home being Hyden, KY and stretching to some of
the farthest regions of the United States.”

* FRONTIER NURSING UNIVERSITY

courier corner
By Nancy Reinhart,
FNU Courier Program Coordinator

hope each one of you has already saved October 3-5, 2014 on your
calendar for the FNU 75th anniversary weekend.

If you’ve ever wanted an excuse to call up old Courier friends and visit
Wendover together, this is just the reason you needed. It will be so amazing
to have a contingent of Couriers from across the years celebrating together!
The 75th anniversary weekend will be made particularly special
due to the recent release of Unbridled Service about the history
of the Courier program. Author Dr. Anne Cockerham will
share a selection of readings from the book with us and then
we will have time to share memories with one another from
our service as FNS Couriers.
Further, several Couriers will be honored as a part of the 75 honorees for 75
years. Those of us in attendance will celebrate these honorees and experience
how our story can be found within theirs.
Have I given you enough reasons to make your travel plans today?

Connecting with Couriers
As former Couriers, we are a vibrant group of women and men who still
carry FNS in our hearts and who take Mary Breckinridge’s mission of service
and dedication to “wide neighborhoods” as she willed us to do. Please do join
us in Kentucky and Wendover in October to touch base with an important
part of what inspired you to do so in the first place!
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* QUARTERLY BULLETIN

Meet our 2014 Couriers
Emily Scotto, originally from western Massachusetts, will be serving the
White House Clinic in McKee, Ky. Of her plans she says, “I’m interested in
working in social work or mental health care in the future, so I’m very excited
to get a chance to be part of the Courier program!”
Aimee Jakeman is majoring in Integrative Physiology and minoring in
Women’s Studies at the University of Colorado at Boulder. She will be serving
the Mountain Comprehensive Healthcare Women’s Clinic in Whitesburg, Ky,
as her future goal is to become a Certified Nurse-Midwife.
Yi Lian Klimecki of Tucson, AZ, attends Seattle University and will be
serving the Women’s Wellness and Maternity Center in Madisonville, TN.
“After volunteer experiences in Nicaragua and Peru, I hope to work in rural
public health with a focus on women and children’s health... I’ve never been
to Kentucky or Tennessee and I’m super excited about the Courier program!”
Lee Ann Adelsheim, who will be serving the ARH Mary Breckinridge
Hospital system, is from Pittsburgh, PA and attends Allegheny College. She
grew up contra dancing with her mother and is very excited to experience the
culture of Hyden.
Diane Kim hails from San Jose, CA and attends Williams College where she
is in the pre-med program. She will be serving the Hazard Clinic in Hazard,
Ky. Diane loves music and says she is excited for her first ever visit to Kentucky
or the southeast area of the U.S.
Matt Wilson, of Newbury, NH, will be serving the ARH Mary Breckinridge
Hospital system. He currently attends Colby College and says, “I think this
summer will be an unforgettably awesome experience.”
Marissa Savoie, is from California and attends Colombia University. She will
be serving the Lisa Ross Birth Center in Knoxville, TN. She says, “I currently
live in New York City and I love the culture and energy, but I am really excited
to experience a different place this summer. I cannot wait to meet everyone in
Wendover!”
Rachel Tullio, who will be serving the Little Flower Clinic in Hazard, KY,
hails from Rochester, NY. She currently attends Notre Dame where she is a
pre-med student with a double minor in poverty studies and anthropology.
7

* FRONTIER NURSING UNIVERSITY

courier spotlight

Rebecca Stanevich

Rebecca Stanevich was a Courier in 1970 and has remained actively involved through
the Courier Advisory Committee. She volunteered her time this year to help interview
applicants to the Courier Program. Rebecca lives in Grafton, WV.

Briefly introduce yourself.

I’m a retired nurse/industrial hygienist. For most
of my career I did occupational health research
for the Federal government. Since retirement, I
have been involved in search and rescue and the
training of search dogs at the local and Federal
level.
Briefly describe your experience as a Courier.

My Mom and Dad were both from the mountains, my Dad from Appalachia, but I was raised
in the suburbs of Washington, DC and not at all
sure what I was getting into and even whether
I would like the food. I learned to drive a car with a manual transmission
one evening in a parking lot. I wished I’d had a lot more lessons when Ms.
Kate Ireland, our Courier Coordinator, yelled, “Emergency!! Emergency!!!” in
the middle of my driving test in the middle of the steep downhill of a dirt,
mountain road.
I was a Courier during the summer of 1970. My primary assignment was as
the driver for the Wendover nurse. What an exceptional experience! In addition to her regular house calls, we visited residents of the area where we were
not currently providing service. Can you imagine being invited into someone’s
house while they are out back hanging up their clothes? We waited patiently
in several houses — often a single room cabin with a big 4-poster bed in
the middle of the room made up with a hand-sewn quilt and standing on a
neatly swept dirt floor. There was usually a bible on a side table and love and
something else that felt mostly like pride to keep us company until the owner
came in.

* QUARTERLY BULLETIN

What was most memorable about the experience?

I have many memories of the jeeps — being
lost in a cornfield on the way to make our local
deliveries to the outposts or being chased down
mountains by big trucks with big Bulldogs on
the front of them that were way too close… And
I have memories of the horses riding into the
North fork and forbidden watermelons planted
by “The Judge”.
But the most important memories were of
those people in the cabins who had very little in
tangible assets but were very rich in spirit and everything else that counts.
And I have memories of the dedication of a nurse and an organization
that would travel out in the middle of the night to help a family who
lost their son that day. And I remember that the food was really good,
especially the Black-Bottom Pie, except for the day after the cows got into
some wild onions.
How did it impact you, your life and/or your vocational direction?

I went to Kentucky thinking I would like to become a nurse-midwife.
I came home convinced that is what I would like to do. Life led me in
a different direction, but that was okay, because I learned that being a
nurse is much more than just a job. It is about trying to make a difference
in someone’s life and finding out that they have made a much bigger
difference in yours.
What is the legacy of the Courier program from your view?

I think the legacy of the Courier program is to open your eyes to
experiences you never dreamed about. I think it is about empathy —
learning how to put yourself in another person’s shoes and soar, so you can
help others become their very best.
Why do you remain involved?
It was a magical summer...

* FRONTIER NURSING UNIVERSITY

field notes

Pioneers for Healthcare –
Celebrating 75 Years

n honor of our 75th anniversary, Frontier Nursing University will host a celebratory weekend
for friends near and far. Frontier alumni, students,
faculty, staff, preceptors, friends and supporters
from across the country are invited to attend the full
weekend of events. Check out the events below and
be sure to stay tuned for more details. Don’t miss our signature celebration
event, the FNU Anniversary Gala on Saturday, October 4th!
Special thank you to the following sponsors of the 75th Anniversary! The
celebration events and activities would not be possible without you!

75th Anniversary Underwriter: Breckinridge Capital Advisors

Gala Bronze Sponsors: Neace Lukens and Merrill Lynch
Gala Friends: Global Advancement
Howard Heating and Air
NetGain Technologies
Sponsorship opportunities are still available for three Gold Sponsors
($15,000), one Reception Sponsor ($10,000), one Brunch sponsor ($10,000),
five Silver Sponsors ($10,000), two Bronze Sponsors ($5,000) or Gala
Friends ($1,000). Please email Angela.Bailey@frontier.edu to learn about
the benefits of sponsor levels.

* QUARTERLY BULLETIN

Friday, October 3rd
FNU Evening Reception
Location: Bodley Bullock House, 200 Market Street, Lexington, Ky
Time: 6:00 - 8:00 pm
Join us at the beautiful, historic Bodley-Bullock House in downtown
Lexington for barbeque with all the fixins, cold Kentucky craft beers and
wine as you mingle with Frontier family from near and far. Entertainment
will be provided by Dean Osborn and The Kentucky School of Bluegrass and
Traditional Music.
Price: $25.00
Saturday, October 4th
Brunch with Kentucky Author Silas House
Location: Shakespeare and Co. (banquet room),
367 West Short St., Lexington, Ky
Time: 10:00 am – Noon
What could be better than a country breakfast buffet with guest speaker,
renowned Kentucky Author Silas House? House was born and raised in
Eastern Kentucky and is best known for his novels (learn more at www.silas
house.org/about.html). You won’t want to miss this brunch which will include
eggs, sausage, bacon, biscuits and gravy as well as fresh fruit and yogurt.
Price: $20.00
Day Trip to FNU’s Hometown - Hyden, Ky
Time: 8:00 am - 4:00 pm
Spend the day immersed in the history of Frontier Nursing University. Ride
with other FNU family via tour bus to Hyden, Ky for a tour of campus, lunch
at the historic Wendover Bed & Breakfast Inn and some time enjoying the
annual Mary Breckinridge Festival! The bus will leave from the Lexington
Convention Center High Street Parking Lot promptly at 8:00 AM.
Price: $20.00

* FRONTIER NURSING UNIVERSITY

75th Anniversary Gala
Location: Lexington Convention Center, Bluegrass Ballroom,
430 W. Vine St., Lexington, Ky
Time: 6:30 pm - 11:00 pm
Don’t miss this spectacular event to honor our 75th Anniversary and those
who have made significant contributions to Frontier! This black-tie optional
event will begin with a cocktail reception featuring music provided by Dean
Osborn and the Kentucky School of Bluegrass and Traditional Music. Then
enter the grand ballroom for a sumptuous meal before dancing the night away
to music provided by the Torques! This event will be held in the Bluegrass
Ballroom of the Lexington Convention Center, housed in the same complex
as the Hyatt and Rupp Arena in downtown Lexington.
Price: $100 per person
Sunday, October 5th
Couriers’ Breakfast
Time: 8:30 am
Are you a former FNS Courier? Join us to connect with fellow Couriers and
share memories from your time as a Courier. Enjoy breakfast, a reading from
the new “Unbridled Service” book, and an open storytelling time for you to
share your favorite memories.
Location and Price: TBA
Day at Keeneland Racetrack
Time: 1:00 pm - 7:00 pm
No trip to Lexington, Kentucky would be complete without seeing the
beautiful Keeneland race track. Join us for an afternoon of horse racing. Ticket
information will be available after June 1, 2014. Please check back often for
updated information!
Price: TBA
Visit www.pioneersforhealthcare.com for developing details and to purchase
tickets. Tickets for all events will be available in the summer months.

* QUARTERLY BULLETIN

Hotels will book quickly in Lexington in October due to Keeneland and
other events! We encourage you to make your hotel reservations as soon as
possible.
Hilton Lexington/Downtown Hotel
(walking distance to the Gala venue)
369 West Vine Street Lexington, Kentucky 40507
859-231-9000 or 877-539-1648
www.lexingtondowntownhotel.com
Group code: FNU104
DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Hotel Lexington
(3.7 miles from Gala venue)
2601 Richmond Road, Lexington, Kentucky, 40509
859-268-0060
www.doubletree.hilton.com/lexington
Hyatt Regency Lexington
(immediately adjacent to the Gala venue)
401 West High Street Lexington, Kentucky, 40507
859 253 1234
www.lexingtonhyatt.com

For More Information:
www.pioneersforhealthcare.com
859-899-2828
development@frontier.edu

* FRONTIER NURSING UNIVERSITY

Eastern Kentucky Committee Luncheon
Held at Wendover

Following the long history of committee support started by Mary Breckinridge, FNU hosted a diverse group from Eastern Kentucky for lunch at the
Wendover Big House on April 8th. With the goal of forming a committee
to make a stronger Eastern Kentucky community for all, FNU President, Dr.
Susan Stone welcomed local mayors, business owners, community leaders and
professionals to the first meeting of the Eastern Kentucky Committee.
The Committee will meet quarterly to discuss how the various entities in the
community can partner for the benefit of all citizens of Eastern Kentucky
and continue the vision of Mary Breckinridge. Several projects were discussed
including nurse practitioner services for the schools in the area as well as how
the group could partner to bring both jobs and increased technical education
to the community.

Tea Party hosted by
Kathy Dalton, Courier

Several members of the Frontier community gathered in Lexington at former Courier Kathy Vance Dalton’s house on Monday,
April 14 for a tea party to celebrate the release
of Unbridled Service: Growing Up and Giving Back as a Frontier Nursing Service Courier, 1928-2010. Mrs. Dalton served high tea
in the tradition of Mrs. Mary Breckinridge
alongside an array of treats. Dr. Susan Stone
offered highlights about FNU to the crowd
top: Kathy Dalton visits with
and author Dr. Anne Cockerham read variTeresa Hall; bottom: Susan
ous selections from the book. Teresa Hall, wife
Stone, Kathy Dalton and
of former FNS CEO Bill Hall, Audrey Bean,
Nancy Reinhart
Former Chair of the Bluegrass Committee,
Linda Roach, current Chair of the Bluegrass
Committee, and Anne Kraus, daughter of former Courier Anne Preston
Turner were amongst the attendees.
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* QUARTERLY BULLETIN

FNU hosts
Call the Midwife premier

Frontier is again proud to be the sponsor
for Call the Midwife on KET in Kentucky
and Florida. Based on the best-selling
memoirs of Jennifer Worth, this series is a
story of midwifery in London’s East End
during the 1950’s. Season 3 premiere events
were held in Tampa and Lexington
during March to kick off the season and
celebrate the rich history of midwifery. Both
events were well attended and the screened
episode left audience members touched and
wanting to see more of Season 3.
The Lexington event was co-sponsored by
WomanKind Midwives, a Lexington-based
full-scope midwifery practice. Kendra
top: Kendra Adkisson in costume
Adkisson, FNU graduate, practices at Womanat the Lexington premier; bottom:
Kind and attends deliveries at the Women’s Future nurse-midwives at the
Hospital at St. Joseph East. Kendra entered the Tampa premier
premier riding her bike in full costume, dressed
as Jenny from Call the Midwife. However, Tampa had its own special guests —
two future Nurse-Midwives attended in their own costumes.

FNU’s PRIDE Initiative will send
four FNU students to professional conferences

The PRIDE (Promoting Recruitment and Retention
to Increase Diversity in nurse-midwifery and nurse
practitioner Education) Initiative continues to offer
great programming to achieve its goal of increasing
minority enrollment at FNU. Recently, PRIDE
students were invited to submit essays for a chance
to be awarded support to attend a professional conference. After careful
consideration, and a blind review of essay entries by the Associate Deans
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* FRONTIER NURSING UNIVERSITY

and Faculty members, essay entries were selected for the American College
of Nurse-Midwives Conference in Denver CO, May 13-17, 2014, and the
American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) Conference in Nashville,
TN, June 17-22, 2014. Ebony Simpson, Sarah Monson, Fawn Workman,
and Melissa Wiesenhahn were awarded conference registration fees, flight,
ground transportation, hotel, and a stipend for meals. These students will
partake in an expansive schedule of clinical activities and sessions hosted by
expert faculty that will address the educational and professional needs of the
novice to the very experienced attendee from every specialty area.
The PRIDE Initiative is also coordinating the 4th Annual Diversity Impact
event to be held on the campus in Hyden June 6-8. During this weekend
workshop, students will attend sessions hosted by nationally recognized nursing
leaders, participate in teambuilding activities, attend cultural competency
awareness training, network with available FNU student services, and dine
at the exclusive Wendover Inn retreat. FNU would like to thank the Berea
College Appalachian Fund for providing a $10,000 grant to support Diversity
Impact and the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky for a $1,000 grant
towards this important event.

FNU Awarded Grant from Jonas Center for
Nursing and Veterans Healthcare to Fund
Doctoral Nursing Students

Grant is part of a national initiative to address nursing faculty shortage;
Frontier Nursing University to fund 4 Jonas Scholars
With a new grant of $50,000 from the Jonas Center for Nursing and
Veterans Healthcare, matched by $10,000 from FNU, we will fund the scholarship of 4 doctoral nursing students in 2014. FNU has selected DNP students
from Maine, Montana, Alaska and a Veteran to receive these scholarships.
They are Alaska Scholar: Julie McCarron (entering DNP16); Maine Scholar:
Victoria Evans, DNP14; Montana Scholar: Beth Burnette, DNP14;
and Veteran Scholar: Lauren Ervin, DNP14. As a recipient of the Jonas
Center grant, Frontier Nursing University is part of a national effort to stem the
faculty shortage and prepare future nurses as America’s healthcare system
continues to evolve.
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* QUARTERLY BULLETIN

The Frontier Nursing University Jonas Scholars join nearly 600 future nurse
educators and leaders at 110 schools supported by Jonas Center programs,
the Jonas Nurse Leaders Scholars Program and Jonas Veterans Healthcare
Program ( JVHP). These scholarships support nurses pursuing PhDs and
DNPs, the terminal degrees in the field.
The Jonas Center, the leading philanthropic funder for nursing, is addressing a
critical need, evidenced by troubling data from the AACN showing that 2013
saw the lowest enrollment increase in professional RN programs in the past
five years. This is due primarily to a shortage in qualified faculty.
“The call for more nurses — and thus the faculty to prepare them — is massive.
Healthcare in America has never been more complex, yet tens of thousands of
would-be nurses are turned away from the profession each year,” said Donald
Jonas, co-founder of the Jonas Center. “We’ve stepped up the pace and
expanded our programs to meet this need.”
Frontier Nursing University was honored to have two previous Jonas Scholars
in the post-master’s DNP Program. These students, Tracey Wiese of Alaska
and Annette Asper of Idaho, graduated in December 2013. We are very
appreciative of this partnership and look forward to seeing what the four new
Jonas Scholars at FNU will achieve.

Nursing Leadership in
Global Health Conference

Dr. Susan Stone presented in February at
the Nursing Leadership in Global Health
conference sponsored by Vanderbilt University. Her presentation was titled:
The Evolution of Frontier Nursing Service to Frontier Nursing University:
Adapting to Change While Remaining True to the Mission

* FRONTIER NURSING UNIVERSITY

beyond the mountains

An Answering Flame: From the
journals of a horseback nurse-midwife
Review By: Dr. Anne Cockerham, PhD, CNM, WHN-BC,
Associate Dean of Midwifery and Women’s Health

onorary ACNM Fellow Doris Reid began her
career as a nurse-midwife at a supremely challenging
time and place. In 1942 she answered a plea for nurses
in southeastern Kentucky’s Frontier Nursing Service
(FNS). Founder Mary Breckinridge desperately needed
help when her British-trained nurse-midwives left her
organization to return home to England where German
bombs were dropping on homes and hospitals.

Doris served the FNS throughout World War II and
later wrote an amateur memoir of her experiences.
Doris’s niece, author Margo Mowbray, believed her remarkable stories needed wider appreciation. Mowbray
researched the Frontier Nursing Service and gathered
historic photos to include in her 206-page book, An
Answering Flame. Although the book is fiction, each story is based on actual
episodes from Doris’s journals and others Mowbray discovered in her research.
Mowbray’s book is
the recipient of the
American College of
Nurse-Midwives
2014 Media Award!

The determined nurses carried on in spite of fires, floods, droughts, the Great
Depression, and World War II rationing, all the while working within a culture completely different from that of the nurses’ own upbringing. Mowbray
places you right in the saddle with the horseback FNS nurse-midwives as
they ascend rugged hollows day or night, winter or summer. With only what
they could carry in their saddlebags, they caught babies and treated injuries,
gunshots, crippling burns, and illnesses that had long been eradicated
elsewhere in the United States. The nurses’ professional care greatly improved
general health and reduced the maternal death rate below the national average,
all in one of America’s most remote regions.

* QUARTERLY BULLETIN

Having conducted historical research about the Frontier Nursing Service and
written nonfiction accounts of its historical legacy, I was thrilled at the prospect
of reading a new historical fiction work about the Frontier Nursing Service.
This compelling and historically accurate book did not disappoint. From the
first page, I was captivated by the heroine and her struggle to find the courage
to face each challenging but rewarding day in the Kentucky mountains.
I highly recommend this book to readers who appreciate historical fiction and
those with a love of adventure-filled stories.

Annual Washington DC Committee Luncheon held
at Congressional Country Club

Thanks to the generosity of Mrs. Molly
Singerling,