Monday, May 02, 2011
DNP graduate is in first class
Connie Swenty
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Wendy Knipe Bredhold Media Relations Specialist, News & Information Services 812/461-5259 The DNP, approved in fall 2007, is the first doctoral program to be offered at USI. Serving Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) graduates who are currently practicing as nurse educators, nurse practitioners, or nurse administrators, the DNP is an alternative to research-focused doctorates in nursing and is comparable to practice doctorates in pharmacy and physical therapy. Swenty had already been accepted into other doctoral programs when she heard that one was being developed at USI. Citing the "phenomenal" leadership of Dr. Nadine Coudret, dean, and Dr. Ann H. White, assistant dean, she said, "It has been a rigorous and excellent program. I have not been disappointed." Swenty holds a diploma in nursing from Cox College, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from Drury University, a Master of Science in Nursing degree from Clarkson College, and a Wound, Ostomy, Continence Nursing Certification from Metropolitan State University. Before joining USI, she taught nursing and was a school nurse in Missouri, and was a staff nurse and childbirth educator in Missouri, California, and Florida. In addition to teaching at USI, she is a wound care nurse at St. Mary's Medical Center. Wound care was the basis of her DNP capstone project, a partnership with Sheriff Eric Williams and his staff at the Vanderburgh County Detention Center, where Swenty developed a primary care model to reduce infectious skin conditions in the jail population. "Each student had a project for the three years of the program," she said. "Mine was initiated because of my background in wound care. In confined settings such as jails, there is an increased incidence of infections. The staff at the jail needed help identifying rashes and common conditions such as athlete's foot, ringworm, and scabies. These conditions itch, and when scratched can open a port of entry for a bigger infection such as MRSA." The project consisted of six programs. "Probably the most successful program was the creation of a DVD, Standard Precautions. The DVD focused on the use of hand washing and personal protection equipment." The filming of the DVD was a service learning project for students in Swenty's Community Nursing course. "For four semesters I was able to involve BSN students in that course in my project at the confinement center, and the first project was the DVD. BSN students were the stars of the show, and put on the detainee clothing. At the end of the semester, we had a workable DVD." Involving the BSN students was "incredible," she said. "It was a community site that they would not have chosen to go into, and they were exposed to a population that is very needy and needs healthcare. They came away with a total appreciation for the detention center and their role there." Other programs included health fairs, brochures, and a second DVD focused on identifying common conditions. The six programs spanned three years and four of the six were completely implemented at the detention center. "That is the strength of the DNP program," Swenty said. "You don't wait until the end of the program to work on this big project you begin in the first semester. I thought that was very effective." Another strength of the program is its focus on leadership skills. With encouragement from faculty, Swenty has presented at the Mayo Clinic and the National Correctional Healthcare Conference in Las Vegas since starting the DNP. "I am a different person than I was three years ago," she said. "I have the ability to initiate change within the community, and I don't think I could have done that without the guidance, knowledge, and education I've gained through this program." |
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