College of Nursing and Health Professions
Faculty Achievements

2024

Dr. Susan Seibert, Teaching Assistant Professor of Nursing, is the author of a teaching tip, Are You an Optimistic Grader?, that has been accepted for publication in Nurse Educator's online publication, December 18. Read the article.

Dr. Jennifer Evans, Assistant Dean and Associate Professor of Nursing, has been accepted as a Distinguished Fellow of the Nursing Academy for the National Academies of Practice (NAP). The NAP is a non-profit organization founded in 1981 to advise governmental bodies on healthcare issues. It is the only interprofessional group of healthcare practitioners and scholars dedicated to supporting accessible and coordinated quality healthcare for all. This honor, peer-nominated and reviewed by healthcare experts, recognizes Dr. Evans' contributions to interprofessional education, clinical practice, research and leadership in healthcare. The Induction Banquet and Awards Ceremony for the Class of 2025 will take place March 15, 2025, at the NAP Annual Meeting and Forum in Washington, D.C. Once inducted, Dr. Evans will add the “FNAP” credential to identify herself as a Distinguished Fellow of the NAP.

Dr. Kevin Valadares, Professor and Chair of Health Administration and Health Informatics and Information Management, and Leah Flake, Gerontology Curriculum Coordinator for the Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP), gave a presentation on USI's Administrator-in-Training (AIT) program during the Vision Centre Webinar: Senior Living and Aging Services Leadership Academic Programs Spotlight Series on December 5.

Dr. Jennifer Evans, Assistant Dean and Associate Professor of Nursing, is a co-author of a manuscript, Exploring Staff Burnout and Leadership Mitigation Plans in Academic Nursing Environments, that was accepted for publication in Nurse Educator.

Several USI faculty members were presenters at the Indiana Occupational Therapy Association (IOTA) Fall Conference on November 16:

• Dr. Jenna Thacker, Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy, led a breakout session, Benefits of Dry Needling.
• Dr. Stephanie Rexing, Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy, presented a poster, S.M.I.L.E. on Wellness. Dr. Beth Young, Assistant Professor and Chair of Food and Nutrition, and Jamie Baker, Instructor in Food and Nutrition, are co-authors.
• Jana Pace, Instructor in Occupational Therapy Assistant, presented a poster, What the OTA?! Breaking Down What Occupational Therapy Assistants Really Do.
• Sean Weir, Assistant Professor and Chair Occupational Therapy Assistant, and Jana Pace, Instructor in Occupational Therapy Assistant, presented a poster, Collaborate to Educate: OTA and Communities Building Better Learning.
• Dr. Jessica Mason, Assistant Professor and Chair of Occupational Therapy, chaired the conference in her role as IOTA Vice President.

Dr. Ashley N. Carter, Assistant Professor of Nursing; Dr. Jennifer Evans, Assistant Dean and Associate Professor of Nursing; Dr. Susan Seibert, Teaching Assistant Professor of Nursing; and Sean Weir, Assistant Professor and Chair of Occupational Therapy Assistant, are the authors of a manuscript, Quality Improvement Growth Mindset Enhancement for New Nursing Students, that was published in Teaching and Learning in Nursing's online publication on November 16, 2024. Read the article.

Dr. Charlotte Connerton, Associate Professor of Nursing and Chair of Undergraduate Nursing, was a co-presenter of a podium presentation, Scaffolded Learning to Master Competency in Nursing Education, at the CBExchange 2024 Conference at Colorado Springs, Colorado, November 12.

Dr. Kristi Hape, Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy, and Dr. Jessica Mason, Assistant Professor and Chair of Occupational Therapy, gave a presentation at the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) Education Summit titled Advancing Therapeutic-Use-of-Self Pedagogy Using Emerging Technology. The conference was held in Charlotte, North Carolina, November 8-9.

Dr. Jennifer Evans, Assistant Dean and Associate Professor of Nursing, is a co-author of a manuscript, When Leaders Don’t Walk the Walk: A National Survey of Academic Nurse Leader Perceptions of Staff Burnout, that was published November 6 in Nursing Education Perspectives. Read the article.

Dr. Jennifer Evans, Assistant Dean and Associate Professor of Nursing, Dr. Ashley N. Carter, Assistant Professor of Nursing,  Dr. Susan Seibert, Teaching Assistant Professor of Nursing, and Sean Weir, Assistant Professor and Chair of Occupational Therapy Assistant, presented Fostering Grit and Growth Mindset in Healthcare Professionals at the Indiana Center for Nursing’s 2024 Virtual Indiana Nursing Summit on November 4.

Jody Delp, Clinical Assistant Professor of Respiratory Therapy, has received a $5,000 scholarship from the American College of Respiratory Therapy Education (ACRTE) to support her pursuit of her doctorate in education degree (EdD) from the University of Southern Indiana. She has been teaching in USI's Respiratory Therapy Program since 2012.

Dr. Pamela Miller and Dr. Theresa Marcotte, both Assistant Professors of Nursing, are the authors of of a Teaching Tip, Summary Versus Synthesis: An In-Class Exercise, that was published October 29 in Nurse Educator's advance online publication. Read the article.

Dr. Ashley N. Carter, Assistant Professor of Nursing, had a Video Teaching Tip, 5-Minute Pearls to Support Student Success, published October 15 in Nurse Educator's advance online publication. Watch the video. She was interviewed on the Nurse Educator Tips for Teaching podcast, which went live January 1, 2025. Listen to the podcast.

Sean Weir, Assistant Professor and Chair of Occupational Therapy Assistant; Dr. Jenna Thacker, Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy; and Dr. Jessica Mason, Assistant Professor and Chair of Occupational Therapy, gave a presentation, ChatGPT and Occupational Therapy Education: Exploring the Role of AI in OT Learning, during the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) OT & OTA Academic Leadership Council Meeting on October 2.

Dr. Charlotte Connerton, Associate Professor of Nursing and Chair of Undergraduate Nursing; Dr. Jessica Mason, Assistant Professor and Chair of Occupational Therapy; Dr. Marilyn Ostendorf, Clinical Assistant Professor of Nursing; Dr. Kim Hille, Associate Professor of Dental Hygiene and Dental Assisting and Assistant Dean of Health Professions; and Dr. Ryan Butler, Associate Professor of Nursing, gave a presentation, Charting Collaborative Pathways: A Tracking Tool for Interprofessional Education and Practice, during the Nexus Summit 2024 on September 30.

Dr. Jennifer Evans, Assistant Dean for Nursing, is a co-author of an abstract, Nurturing Interprofessional Leadership: The Crucial Role of Coaching In Developing and Sustaining Interprofessional Practice and Education, that was accepted as a poster presentation on September 24 during the Nexus Summit 2024: Navigating Complexity to Advance Outcomes, a virtual conference. Visit the conference website.

Sean Weir, Assistant Professor and Chair of Occupational Therapy Assistant; Dr. Jessica Mason, Assistant Professor and Chair of Occupational Therapy; and Dr. Jenna Thacker, Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy, are the authors of an article, The Utilization of Community Programming to Enhance OT and OTA Collaboration in Education that was published in SIS Quarterly, a publication of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), in the Academic Education Special Interest Section, August 1.

Dr. Beth Young, Assistant Professor and Chair of Food and Nutrition, passed the Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics (CSSD) re-certification exam in July 2024. This credential must be renewed every five years, so she will continue with her board certification through 2029. The CSSD is offered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) for registered dietitians (RDs) who have specialized experience in sports dietetics. Being Board Certified as a Specialist in Sports Dietetics designates specific knowledge, skills and expertise for competency in sports dietetics practice.  

Dr. Ashley N. Carter, Assistant Professor of Nursing, and Dr. Susan Seibert, Teaching Assistant Professor of Nursing, will give a presentation, Strategies to Build a Resilient Nursing Workforce, at the International Conference for Healthcare Professionals, hosted online by the University of Gibraltar, Spain, on July 31.

Sean Weir, Assistant Professor and Chair of Occupational Therapy Assistant, gave a virtual presentation, Using Multisource Feedback to Support Student Performance in Fieldwork, for George Washington University Hospital on July 13.

Sean Weir, Assistant Professor and Chair of Occupational Therapy Assistant, wrote a book review that was published online in Occupational Therapy In Health Care on July 3. The title of the book is Zoltan’s Vision, Perception, and Cognition: Evaluation and Treatment for the Adult with Acquired Brain Injury.

Christina Buxton, Instructor in Nursing, completed the ATI Champion Training on July 1. ATI Champions are advocates and leaders for student success and program improvement.

Mary Phillips, Assistant Professor of Respiratory Therapy, has earned the Registered Pulmonary Function Technologist (RPFT) certification. She earned an Associate of Science in Respiratory Therapy from USI in December 2005 and her Bachelor's and Master's degrees from Western Governors University. She began teaching at USI in January 2021 as an Instructor, then became an Assistant Professor in November 2022. In this local area, she spent 14 years of her career at Owensboro Health and has also worked at the Deaconess-Riley Children's Specialty Center in the Cystic Fibrosis clinic (2008-2010). She has also worked in corporate safety, home care and COPD disease management. 

Dr. Ashley N. Carter, Assistant Professor of Nursing, had a Teaching Tip, 5-Minute Pearls to Support Student Success, published May 29 in Nurse Educator's advance online publication. Read the article.

USI Nursing faculty shared their research and best practices during the 20th annual Nurse Educator Conference sponsored by the Kentucky League for Nursing, held May 21-22 in Louisville, Kentucky. The titles of their posters were:

• Peer Review: Providing New Nursing Students an Avenue to Give and Receive Feedback
  Authors: Christina Buxton, Dr. Ashley Carter and Dr. Susan Seibert
• Student Nurse Resilience Project: An Active Learning Strategy
  Authors: Dr. Ashley Carter, Dr. Susan Seibert, Shellye Davis, Amy Pierce and April Fehlinger
• Creating a Sense of Belonging within a BSN Completion Program
  Authors: Dr. Charlotte Connerton and Dr. Ashley Carter

Congratulations to Dr. Serah W. Theuri, Associate Professor of Food and Nutrition, who was approved for promotion at the USI Board of Trustees regular meeting on May 3. She will be promoted to Professor effective August 13, 2024.

Leah Flake, Gerontology Curriculum Coordinator, completed online training with Positive Approach to Care® to become a PAC Certified Independent Trainer. This certification enables her to teach PAC skills to caregivers and help them see dementia from the view of those living with it. This training was funded by the USI Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP).

Dr. Jenna Thacker, Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy; Dr. Jessica Mason, Assistant Professor and Chair of Occupational Therapy; and Sean Weir, Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy Assistant, are the authors of manuscript, ChatGPT in Occupational Therapy Education, that was published in OT Practice Magazine, a publication of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), on May 1, 2024 (Volume 29, Issue 5). Read the article.

Dr. Jennifer Evans, Assistant Dean for Nursing, is a co-author of a manuscript, When Leaders Don’t Walk the Walk: A National Survey of Academic Nurse Leader Perceptions of Staff Burnout, that has been accepted for publication in Nursing Education Perspectives.

The following faculty members were presenters at USI's 28th annual Research, Evidence-Based, Practice, Performance Improvement Conference on April 17:

• Dr. Mary Doerner, Clinical Assistant Professor of Nursing, and Dr. Charlotte Connerton, Associate Professor of Nursing and Chair of the RN-BSN Program, gave a podium Presentation: Student Growth in Nursing Informatics Competencies.
• Dr. Beth Young, Assistant Professor and Chair of Food and Nutrition, and Jamie Baker, Instructor in Food and Nutrition, will give a podium presentation, Empowering Individuals with Down Syndrome: Creating an Inclusive Cooking Class for Skill Development and Social Engagement.
• Dr. Pam Miller gave a podium presentation, Rural Family Planning Clinic Outcomes.

Dr. Beth Young, Assistant Professor and Chair of Food and Nutrition, mentored five dietetics students on their poster presentations during this conference:

• Kenzie Neukam and Vanessa Van Bibber: Does a Plant-Based Diet Delay the Progression of Alzheimer’s Disease Compared with a Western Diet?
• Taylor Hayes, Sarah Obermeier and Heather Hannah: Are Probiotics and Effective Treatment for Irritable Bowel Syndrome?

Several nursing faculty members were mentors for Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects presented at the Research Conference:

• Dr. Ashley Carter and Dr. Susan Seibert mentored Heather Presley on her podium presentation, The Impact of a Nutritional Intervention on Quality of Life in Patients.
• Dr. Ryan Butler and Dr. Gina Schaar mentored Kristen Tobin on her podium presentation, Routine Screening for Postnatal PTSD.
• Dr. Karen Parker and Dr. Charlotte Connerton mentored Breanna Wright on her podium presentation, Emergency Severity Index and Nursing Triage.
• Dr. Charlotte Connerton mentored Sara Clark on her podium presentation, Physical Activity Wellness Program to Reduce Fall Rates in LTC Assisted Living Facilities.
• Dr. Jennifer Evans mentored Katherine Meyer on her podium presentation, Oral Care and the Prevention of Non-Ventilator Hospital Acquired Pneumonia.
• Dr. Mikel Hand and Dr. Mary Doerner mentored Matthew Luecke on his podium presentation, New Graduate Mentorship Program.
• Dr. Ryan Butler and Dr. Ashley Carter mentored Mary Ngugi on her podium presentation, Screening for Symptoms of Depression in Junior High and High School Adolescents Using Patient Health Questionnaire for Adolescents to Promote Prevention and/or Early Treatment of Depression.
• Dr. Jennifer Evans mentored Jeanne Braun on her poster presentation, Data Driven Decision Making: Implementation of a Deterioration Index Tool to Improve Adverse Patient Outcomes.
• Dr. Kathy Riedford and Dr. Mikel Hand mentored Lisa Crutchfield on her poster presentation, Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Training: Implementing an Evidence-Based Initiative to Build Mental Health Literacy Among Employees.
• Dr. Gina Schaar and Dr. Ryan Butler mentored Elisabeth Bernal on her poster presentation, Managing Post-Operative Weight Regain After Bariatric Surgery.
• Dr. Mikel Hand and Dr. Ashley Carter mentored Lisa Hilliard on her poster presentation, Improving Satisfaction and Retention of Nurses with Burnout Education and Screening.
• Dr. Gina Schaar and Dr. Katelyn Russell mentored Michelle Wakefield on her poster presentation, Increasing HPV Education and Vaccination Uptake in Women Aged 27-45: A Clinic Based Approach.

Dr. Beth Young, Assistant Professor and Chair of Food and Nutrition, received the Bill Bock Outstanding Departmental Alumnus Award from Ball State University. She graduated from Ball State with an undergraduate degree in 2002 and a master's degree in 2004. The award is given each year to a graduate from the Ball State Department of Nutrition and Health Science who has contributed to their discipline through teaching, scholarship and/or service.

Faculty members from the Occupational Therapy and Occupational Therapy Assistant programs were presenters at the American Occupational Therapy Association's INSPIRE 2024 conference in Orlando, March 21-23. Jessica Mason, OTD, OTR/L, Chair of the Occupational Therapy Program; Jenna Thacker, OTD, OTR/L, CHT, Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy; Kristi Hape, OTD, OTR/L, Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy; Stephanie Rexing, OTD, OTR/L, CLT, Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy; Sean Weir, MS, OTR, CBIS, Chair of the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program; and Jana Pace, COTA, Instructor in Occupational Therapy Assistant, gave the following presentations: Tech Lab 103A: Developing Case Studies: How to Use Artificial Intelligence as a Classroom Teaching Tool and Reinforcing the OT & OTA Relationship: Bringing Classroom Ideas to Life.

April Fehlinger, MSN, RN, Instructor in Nursing, completed online training with Positive Approach to Care® to become a PAC Certified Independent Trainer. This certification enables her to teach PAC skills to caregivers and help them see dementia from the view of those living with it. This training was funded by the USI Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP).

The College of Nursing and Health Professions was well-represented at USI's 8th Celebration of Teaching and Learning Symposium, held February 14 at the University of Southern Indiana.

Poster Presentations:

• Active Learning through Simulations: Student Perceptions of Simulated Patients in Radiography Training – Dr. Joy Cook, Dr. Heather Schmuck and Ryan Williams
• Deliberate Practice with Nursing Students: Taking Time to Learn – Leslie Kirkwood
• Interprofessional Education Between Nurses and Respiratory Therapists – Dr. Amanda Orr
• Nasogastric Tube Placement and Portable Exams: Interprofessional Teams Between Dietetic and Radiography Students – Dr. Beth Young and Ryan Williams
• Nursing Informatic Competencies – Dr. Charlotte Connerton, Dr. Mary Doerner and Dr. Uditha Wijesuriya

Standard Presentations:

• Enhancing Teamwork by Interprofessional Simulation – Pamela Thomas, Dr. Katelyn Russell, Sean Weir, Beth Schnarr, Carly Andrews and Dr. Marilyn Ostendorf
• Course Development and AI: Leveraging AI To Improve Your Course – JD Weagley and Dr. Zack Ward

Lightning Presentations:

• Application of the Honors Program to Course Improvement – Jordan Messina and Dr. Steve Gruenewald
• Helping Students Develop a Growth Mindset Five Minutes at a Time – Dr. Ashley Carter, Dr. Jennifer Evans, Dr. Susan Seibert and Christina Buxton
• Competency Based Classroom Strategies – Dr. Pam Miller and Dr. Theresa Marcotte

Ryan Williams, Assistant Professor of Radiologic and Imaging Sciences, and Dr. Beth Young, Assistant Professor and Chair of Food and Nutrition, are the authors of a manuscript, Interprofessional Education Activity Between Radiography and Dietetic Students: NG Tube Placement and Portable Exams, that was accepted for publication in Radiologic Technology (February 2024).

Mary Phillips, Assistant Professor of Respiratory Therapy, gave a presentation at "Pulling It All Together for the Kids," a conference hosted by USI and Deaconess Hospital on January 25. The title of her presentation was New Guidelines in Asthma Management.

2023

Dr. Beth Young, Assistant Professor and Chair of Food and Nutrition, and Jamie Baker, Instructor in Food and Nutrition, are the authors of an article, Empowering Individuals with Down Syndrome: Creating an Inclusive Cooking Class for Skill Development and Social Engagement, that was published in the Nutrition and Dietetic Educators and Preceptors quarterly publication, NDEP-Line Newsletter, Winter issue (2023).

During the Fall 2023 Semester, several faculty and staff members in the College of Nursing and Health Professions completed Dementia Live® Certification Training through the USI Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP). They are April Fehlinger, Instructor in Nursing; Leah Flake, GWEP Curriculum Coordinator; Ashley Keller, GWEP Graduate Assistant; Krista Kercher, Southwest Indiana AHEC Clinical Coordinator; Kerseclia Patterson, Southwest Indiana AHEC Academic Outreach Coordinator; Amy Pierce, Instructor in Nursing; and Pam Thomas, Clinical Assistant Professor of Nursing.

Three Nursing faculty supervised students who presented posters at the USI Honors Student Symposium on November 29:

• Dr. Marilyn Ostendorf: Maternal and Infant Health Education with Mia Bruno and Hailey Kessler.
• Dr. Pamela Thomas: Challenges to Health Care Access for People with Language Barriers in the United States with Sofia Hernandez.
• Dr. Julie St. Clair: Community Health Needs Assessment: Screening for High Blood pressure in High-Risk Individuals with Sarah Jones.

April Fehlinger, Instructor in Nursing, was selected as a volunteer item writer for the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) Licensure Examination (NCLEX^®). She was approved by the Indiana State Board of Nursing and selected by NCSBN to participate on the NCLEX item development panel of subject matter experts that was held at NCSBN headquarters in Chicago, Illinois, from October 31 through November 3, 2023. According to NCSBN, Fehlinger was selected on the basis of her clinical specialty and nursing expertise. Because she works with entry-level nurses in the education department at Deaconess Hospital, she has first-hand knowledge of new graduates’ skills and clinical judgment as they enter the workforce.

Sean Weir, Assistant Professor and Chair of Occupational Therapy Assistant, was one of three facilitators of a live virtual course for the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia October 20, October 27 and November 3. The title of the three-part series was Using Multisource Feedback to Support Student Performance in Fieldwork & Clinical Placement.

Jordan Thomason '13, Instructor in Diagnostic Medical Sonography, passed her abdominal sonography national certification exam on November 3, becoming one of seven people in the U.S certified in abdomen, OBGYN and pediatric sonography, as well as adult echocardiography, pediatric echocardiography and fetal cardiography. She is the only person in Indiana with those credentials. Thomason is the clinical coordinator for the USI DMS program and also teaches all the echocardiography courses.

Dr. Jennifer Evans, Assistant Dean for Nursing, and Dr. Mikel Hand, Professor of Nursing and Chair of Graduate Nursing, presented at the Sigma International 47th Biennial Convention in San Antonio, Texas, November 11-15. The title of their presentation is The Lived Experience: Insight from BSN Students During the First Three Semesters.

Ryan Williams, Assistant Professor of Radiologic and Imaging Sciences, took office as the President for the Indiana Society of Radiologic Technologists for the 2023-2024 term. Through this organization, he will oversee their professional society and advocate for professional needs at the state level.

Faculty in the Occupational Therapy and Occupational Therapy Assistant programs were presenters at the 2023 Indiana Occupational Therapy Association (IOTA) Fall Conference, held on October 21 at the University of Indianapolis Health Pavilion.

• Dr. Kristi Hape, Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy, and Sean Weir, Assistant Professor and Chair of Occupational Therapy Assistant, presented a breakout session, Screening for Adverse Childhood Experiences: What is Our Role as Occupational Therapy Practitioners?
• Dr. Stephanie Rexing, Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy, did a poster presentation, Does Pre-operative Education Increase Activity Participation and Decrease Perceived Arm Dysfunction in Breast Cancer Patients?
• Dr. Kristi Hape, Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy, did a poster presentation with Anthony Kluemper, student at IU School of Medicine, and Dr. Arthur Chlebowski, USI Associate Professor and Director of Freshman Engineering, titled Development of Assistive Devices for Eye Drop Administration in Patients with Cerebral Palsy.
• Dr. Jenna Thacker, Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy and Academic Fieldwork Coordinator, led a breakout session, SIS Breakout Session: Rehab and Disability.
• Dr. Jessica Mason, Assistant Professor and Chair of Occupational Therapy, is Vice President for the Indiana Occupational Therapy Association. In this role, she helped with conference planning, orchestration and many behind-the-scenes logistics.

On October 10-12, Amy Pierce, Instructor in Nursing; Brandy Sitzman, GWEP Project Coordinator; and Pam Thomas, Clinical Assistant Professor of Nursing, completed a three-day training with Positive Approach to Care® to become PAC Certified Independent Trainers. This certification enables them to teach PAC skills to caregivers and help them see dementia from the view of those living with it. This training was funded by the USI Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP).

Christina F. Buxton, Instructor in Nursing, gave a poster presentation at the American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA) national conference titled, Equipping Future Nurses with Tools to Respond Holistically to Mental Health Crises: Student Feedback on Effectiveness of Mental Health First Aid. The conference took place October 4-7, 2023 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.

Mary Phillips, Assistant Professor of Respiratory Therapy, gave a presentation at the Kentucky Society for Respiratory Care conference on September 29 in Owensboro, Kentucky. The title was It Starts With One: Opportunities in Leadership at the Bedside.

Dr. Ashley N. Carter ’08 MSN, Assistant Professor of Nursing, was awarded the 2023 Excellence in Teaching Award from the Indiana League for Nursing (ILN) in October. She has been a nursing educator for 16 years, having first started her teaching career in 2007 at Ivy Tech Evansville, where she also served as Department Chair for five years before joining the USI Nursing faculty in Fall 2020. Read more.

Dr. Jennifer Evans, Assistant Dean for Nursing, and Dr. Connie Swenty, Professor Emeritus, participated in a session, Working Together for Impact: The Role of Leadership in Developing and Sustaining IPE through Workplace Well-Being, during the Nexus Summit 2023 Virtual Conference on September 27, 2023.

Dr. Mary Doerner, Clinical Assistant Professor of Nursing, and Dr. Charlotte Connerton, Associate Professor of Nursing and Chair of the RN-BSN Completion Program, are the DNP advisors for Taylor Cora, a student in USI’s BSN to DNP program. They are the authors of an article, Enhancing Oncology Side Effect Management Using a Remote Monitoring System, which is the culmination of her DNP project. It was published in the October issue of the Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing (Volume 27, Number 5). Preview the article.

Dr. Dawn Worman, Assistant Professor of Nursing, and Dr. Swateja Nimkar, Associate Professor of Health Services, are the authors of an article, A Hostile Environment: An Exploratory Study of Prelicensure Nursing Student Exposure to Patient Aggression, that was accepted for publication in Nurse Educator, September/October 2023 issue. Read the article.

Several faculty members in the USI Nursing program have been researching ways for students to build resilience from the start of their nursing education. The results of their study were recently published in the journal Teaching and Learning in Nursing (online July 13, 2023). Dr Ashley Carter, Assistant Professor of Nursing; Dr. Susan Seibert, Instructor in Nursing; Shellye Davis, Instructor in Nursing; Amy Pierce, Instructor in Nursing; and April Fehlinger, Instructor in Nursing, are the authors of Preferred Resiliency-Building Strategies of Nursing Students, which they hope will inspire other nursing programs to incorporate similar tactics.

Amy Wilson, Clinical Associate Professor and Chair of Diagnostic Medical Sonography, was elected secretary of the board of directors for the international Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (SDMS). Dr. Katherine Peak, Clinical Assistant Professor and Vascular Clinical Coordinator, was elected to serve on the SDMS nominating committee.

The Southwest Indiana Area Health Education Center (AHEC) is hosted in the College of Nursing and Health Professions. One of AHEC's initiatives is the Indiana SANE Training Project which expands professional development opportunities for Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners practicing in rural and/or underserved communities in Indiana. Jane Friona, Southwest Indiana Executive Director; Angie Morris, Indiana SANE Training Coordinator; and Ashli Smiley, SANE Coordinator for the Indiana Department of Health, gave a presentation, Increasing Access to Medical Forensic Examinations for Hoosiers, at the Indiana Rural Health Association Annual Conference in French Lick, Indiana, on June 14. Friona and Morris also presented at the National AHEC Organization Biennial Conference, held in Salt Lake City, Utah, June 27-30. The title of their presentation was When Small Initiatives Have a Statewide Impact: Maximizing Potential to Expand Care.

Dr. Charlotte Connerton, Associate Professor of Nursing and Chair of the RN-BSN Completion Program, and Dr. Serah Theuri, Associate Professor of Food and Nutrition, wrote an article, NEWSTART: An 8-Week Faith-Based Health Promotion Program to Reduce Chronic Disease Risk Factors in the US, that was published in the Journal of Religion and Health on June 16, 2023. Their study examined the effectiveness of a health promotion program among adults in an Adventist Faith Community.

Several faculty members collaborated on a poster that was accepted for the Annual Meeting of Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA), held June 29-July 1 in National Harbor, Maryland. Authors of the project, titled Innovate and Captivate: Modernizing the MHA Degree for Working Professionals, are Zachary Ward, EdD, Assistant Professor of Health Administration; JD Weagley, MA, Instructional Designer with USI Online Learning; Erin Reynolds, PhD, MPH, Associate Professor and Chair of Health Administration and Health Services programs; Swateja Nimkar, EdD, MPH, Associate Professor of Health Services; and Kevin Valadares, PhD, Professor of Health Services and Chair of Health Administration and Health Informatics and Information Management programs. Their poster describes the redesign of USI's Master of Health Administration program to address barriers adults encounter as they attempt to further their education and introduce a more user-friendly and applicable curriculum for working adults.

Zack Ward, EdD, Assistant Professor of Health Administration, gave a presentation, Telemedicine in the Community Public Library: Development of a Needs Assessment, on June 13 at the Indiana Rural Health Association Conference in French Lick, Indiana. In his research, he identified infrastructure issues related to telehealth programming and the importance of telehealth resources in rural communities.

Dr. Joy Cook ’03 M’09 D’22, Associate Professor and Chair of the Radiologic and Imaging Sciences, has joined the board of directors for the Southwest Indiana Red Cross Chapter. Cook has been a professional in the field of radiology for the past 28 years, and 18 of those years have been in education. She holds five degrees from USI, with her most recent degree a Doctorate of Education. She has several national and international publications focusing on radiology education and the improvement of practice within radiology, is an international speaker on the topic of MRI burns and has chaired national and state committees in her profession.

Amy Wilson MS '09, Chair of Diagnostic Medical Sonography, will be promoted from Clinical Associate Professor to Clinical Professor, effective August 15, 2023. She has been a sonography educator at USI for nearly 20 years. She earned her bachelor's degree in Medical Imaging Technology from Indiana University School of Medicine in 1994.

Four faculty earned new degrees and certifications:

• Dr. Jennifer Fehrenbacher, Assistant Professor in Dental Hygiene/Assisting, earned a Doctorate in Education from Liberty University.
• Dr. Keri Montgomery, Instructor in Nursing, earned a Doctor of Nursing Practice from the University of Alabama.
• Dr. Amanda Orr, Instructor in Nursing, earned a Doctor of Nursing Practice from Indiana University.
• Dr. Katelyn Russell, Assistant Professor in Nursing, earned the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Post-Master's Certificate from the University of Southern Indiana.

Faculty in USI's Occupational Therapy and Occupational Therapy Assistant programs were presenters at the AOTA Inspire 2023 Annual Conference & Expo in Kansas City, April 20-23, 2023.

• Sean Weir, Assistant Professor and Chair of Occupational Therapy Assistant; Dr. Jenna Thacker, Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy; and Dr. Jessica Mason, Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy and Chair of Occupational Therapy, did a poster presentation on Effectiveness of Gross Motor Treatment to Improve Strength & Fine Motor Function Among Clients with Parkinson's Disease.
• Sean Weir, Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy Assistant and Chair of Occupational Therapy Assistant; Dr. Jenna Thacker, Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy; Dr. Kristi Hape, Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy; Jana Pace, Instructor in Occupational Therapy Assistant; and Dr. Jessica Mason, Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy and Chair of Occupational Therapy, did a presentation on Supporting & Strengthening the OT–OTA Relationship: Embracing Professional Roles Begins in the Classroom.
• Dr. Kristi Hape, Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy, did a presentation on Mental Health Innovation & Advocacy: Creating Innovative Practice Opportunities to Meet Mental Health Needs.

Amy Wilson, Clinical Associate Professor and Chair of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (DMS), and Dr. Katherine Peak, Clinical Assistant Professor, are the recipients of the 2023 Faculty Development Award for the College of Nursing and Health Professions. They used the monetary award to purchase a 3-dimensional/4-dimensional (3D/4D) transducer to use with the program's new ultrasound machine. This advanced technology has a wide range of applications in both obstetric and gynecologic imaging. The funding also included one full day of training with a Philips Applications Specialist for DMS faculty and 14 students, which helps USI's program meet accreditation standards and provides students valuable skills they will utilize in the clinical setting.

Dr. Jennifer Evans, Assistant Dean for Nursing, is the author of a Teaching Tip, Working Smarter with ChatGPT, which was published in Nurse Educator on April 10, 2023. Read the article.

Dr. Constance Swenty, Professor of Nursing and Interim Dean of the College of Nursing and Health Professions, and Mary Doerner, Clinical Assistant Professor of Nursing, are the authors of an article published in the International Journal for Human Caring (March 2023, Volume 27, Issue 1) titled Nursing Students’ Perceptions Following an Ostomy Experiential Activity: A Qualitative Study. Read the article.

Several faculty members were presenters at USI's Research, Evidence-Based, Practice, Performance Improvement Conference on April 19.

• Dr. Pamela Miller, Assistant Professor of Nursing, presented a poster, Re-implementation of Family Planning at the Wabash County Health Department.
• Dr. Lori A. Phillips, Assistant Professor of Nursing, and Lorinda Coan, Associate Professor of Dental Hygiene, presented a poster, The Outcomes: Integrating Experiential Learning into a Nurse Practitioner Residency Oral Health Program, and a podium presentation, Implementation of EBP Guidelines into a NPR Program: Bridging the Gap Between Didactics to Practice. For both projects, they collaborated with Dr. Uditha Wijesuriya, Associate Professor of Mathematics.
• Dr. Katelyn Russell, Assistant Professor of Nursing, and April Fehlinger, Instructor in Nursing, gave a podium presentation, Implementing QPR Training Among Undergraduate Nursing Students to Improve Suicide Assessment Skills.
• Multiple faculty members worked with Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) students on presentations covering a variety of topics.
• Dr. Julie McCullough, Associate Professor of Nutrition, mentored her students on two posters: A New Dietary Approach to Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease: An Evidenced Based Review and Could Vitamin D be Used to Reduce PMS Symptoms in Women?

Dr. Charlotte Connerton, Associate Professor of Nursing and Chair of the RN-BSN Completion Program; Dr. Serah Theuri, Associate Professor of Food and Nutrition; Dr. Ryan Butler, Associate Professor of Nursing and Interim Chair of Undergraduate Nursing; Pamela Thomas, Clinical Assistant Professor of Nursing; and  Dr. Jessica Mason, Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy and Chair of Occupational Therapy, are the co-authors of an article accepted for publication in Nurse Educator titled Interprofessional Wellness Coaching: A Teaching Model for Health Professions Students. This project was funded by the USI College of Nursing and Health Professions Faculty Development Award. Early access publication date was April 10, 2023. Read the article.

Dr. Jenna Thacker, ’11, OT ’12, Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy (OT), received a $5,000 Early Career Faculty Grant from the University of Southern Indiana Provost’s Office. These grants are given each year to encourage early career faculty to pursue promising research, creative and engagement projects for one consecutive 10-week summer term. Thacker intends to study functional dry needling (FDN), which she says is “growing like wildfire” in the field of physical therapy (PT). FDN is a technique for muscle stimulation using a needle, and it is used as a therapeutic procedure for patients with pain, decreased flexibility or decreased muscle function. Learn More.

Dr. Lori Phillips, Assistant Professor of Nursing, and Lorinda Coan, Associate Professor of Dental Hygiene, are the co-authors of a manuscript, Dental and Primary Care Professionals Learning and Collaborating to Improve Oral Health, that was published in the Journal of Dental Education on March 27, 2023. Their colleague, Uditha Wijesuriya, is listed as the article's third author.

Emily Holt, Clinical Professor of Dental Hygiene and Dental Assisting, received recognition in the inaugural Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) Outstanding Faculty-Commitment to Student Success Awards. She was named to the list for her contributions to her department and the University, as well as her impact on students. Award details.

Dr. Charlotte Connerton, Associate Professor of Nursing and Chair of the RN-BSN Completion Program, Dr. Jessica Mason, Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy and Chair of Occupational Therapy Program, and Susan Bonhotal, Nursing Adjunct, wrote a "Teaching Tip" that was published online in Nurse Educator on March 7, 2023. The title is Peer-Led Functional Mobility and Transfer Training, and it explains how USI nursing and occupational therapy students teamed up for an interprofessional mobility and transfer skills lab. The OT students were responsible for teaching and demonstrating the assigned mobility and transfer topic, allowing the nursing students time to practice the skill, and then the OT students provided feedback on the nursing students' performance. Read the article.

Several faculty members from the College of Nursing and Health Professions will be presenters at the 7th Annual Celebration of Teaching and Learning Symposium on February 16 at USI.

• Dr. Zachary Ward Assistant Professor of Health Administraton, was a co-presenter with JD Weagley, Instructional Designer with USI Online Learning. Their presentation was titled, Hands-on is Best: PBL Online.
• Dr. Joy Cook, Dr. Heather Schmuck and Ryan Williams of the Radiologic and Imaging Sciences Program presented two posters: Programmatic Improvement Using Clinical Video Refreshers and Radiography Student Communication and Patient Care Assessment: Simulated Patient Feedback.
• Jennifer Fehrenbacher and Alyshia Hanks, both Assistant Professors in the Dental Hygiene and Dental Assisting programs, gave a presentation, Enhancing Calibration Among Lab Faculty. 

Three Nursing faculty members collaborated for an article on effective communication that was published online in Nurse Educator on February 6, 2023. Dr. Susan Seibert, Shelley Davis and Dr. Ashley Carter are the authors of Communication Role-Play Take 2! Read the article.

Dr. Susan Seibert and Dr. Ashley Carter are co-authors of a manuscript, Applications of Ethics: Discussion Prompts, that was published in Nurse Educator, January/February 2023. Read the article.

Dr. Susan Seibert, Instructor in Nursing, and Dr. Ashley Carter, Assistant Professor of Nursing, were invited to participate in the Nurse Educator Tips for Teaching Podcast. Their article, Application of Ethics: Discussion Prompts, was featured on January 25, 2023, and was also published in Nurse Educator in the January/February 2023 issue, 48(1):p 6. Listen to the podcast  | Read the article

Emily Holt, Clinical Professor of Dental Hygiene and Dental Assisting and Interim Chair of both programs, had the second article of a two-part series of articles published in the Dimensions of Dental Hygiene Journal: Support the Oral Health of Your Patients with Alzheimer Disease on January 18, 2023. Read the article.

Dr. Susan Seibert, Instructor in Nursing, wrote an article that was published in Nurse Educator on January 18, 2023. The title is "Review- Do- Document: Structured Health Assessment Labs." Read the article.

2022

Dr. Zachary Ward, JD Weagley, Dr. Erin Reynolds, Dr. Swateja Nimkar, Karla Diekemper and Dr. Kevin Valadares are the authors of a manuscript, Graduate Degree Program Redesign for Academic Success, Differentiation, and Access, that was published in the Journal of Health Administration Education on December 1, 2022 (Volume 39, Number 2). Read the article.

Dr. Susan Seibert, Instructor in Nursing, had an article published in the Journal of Teaching and Learning in Nursing titled Scaffolding Questions to Foster Higher-Order Thinking. In press 2022. Read the article. 

The Indiana State Nurses Association recognizes Indiana's top nurses through the Pillar Award Recognition. Ann White, RN, PhD, MBA, NE-BC, Dean Emerita of the College of Nursing and Health Professions, received the Pillar of Leadership Award in 2022. Read more.

Dr. Jennifer Evans, Interim Assistant Dean and Associate Professor of Nursing, was a co-presenter at the AACN 2022 Policy Conference, held in Washington, D.C., October 27-30. The title was Burnout among administrative staff in colleges of nursing.

Dr. Mikel Hand, Professor of Nursing, Dr. Constance Swenty, Professor of Nursing and Interim Dean of the USI College of Nursing and Health Professions, and Dr. Laura Ogle of the University of Rochester Medical Center had a manuscript published in Nursing Forum titled Pressure Injury Screening in the Emergency Department: A Concept Analysis. October 10, 2022. Read the article.

Dr. Katie Ehlman, Professor of Gerontology and Director of the Bronstein Center for Healthy Aging and Wellness, received the Faculty Recognition Award at the 2022 USI Founders' Day celebration. Ehlman's efforts played a critical role in the $1 million gift received from the Sol and Arlene Bronstein Foundation, and she directs the USI Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP), a federally-funded project. Her anonymous nominator says, "Ehlman is an outstanding role model for students and is constantly creating experiential learning opportunities for them. Her work elevates the visibility of the University on a local, state, national and global platform."

Emily Holt, Clinical Professor of Dental Hygiene and Dental Assisting and Interim Chair of both programs, had the first article in a two-part series published in the Dimensions of Dental Hygiene Journal: The Hallmarks of Alzheimer Disease on September 16, 2022. Read the article.

Dr. Jessica Mason, Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy, was selected as the 2022 recipient of the prestigious USI Foundation Outstanding Faculty Teaching Award, which includes a stipend and Faculty Development Grant.

Dr. Michelle Pitcher, Adjunct in Nursing, was awarded the 2022 USI Foundation Outstanding Teaching Award by Adjunct Faculty for her ability to teach adult learning principles which emphasize self-directed learning. She embraces technology in her courses and demonstrates agility between writing-centered courses versus clinically centered courses.

Dr. Lori Phillips, Assistant Professor of Nursing, and Lorinda Coan, Associate Professor of Dental Hygiene, presented with Dr. Uditha Wijesuriya, Associate Professor of Mathematics, at USI's 26th Annual Research, Evidence-Based Practice and Performance Improvement Conference. The title of their presentation was Knowledge and Confidence Through Integration of Oral Health Modules in a Nurse Practitioner Residency.

Dr. Lori Phillips, Assistant Professor of Nursing, and Lorinda Coan, Associate Professor of Dental Hygiene, are co-authors with Dr. Uditha Wijesuriya, Associate Professor of Mathematics, of a manuscript published in the Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, April 2022, Volume 34, Issue 4. The title of article is Oral Health in Primary Care: Integration of Enhanced Oral Health Education in a Nurse Practitioner Residency Program. Read the article.

Dr. Kevin Valadares, Dr. Suzanne Leahy and Dr. Katie Ehlman are co-authors of an article, Adapting Primary Care Workflows to Promote Advance Care Planning, that was published in the Annals of Family Medicine, July/August 2022 issue (Vol. 20, No. 4). They collaborated with Dr. William Smith and Robin Arnold, both of Deaconess Health System, and Joanne Artz, USI retiree, to disseminate the work of the USI Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP).

Dr. Susan Seibert, Instructor in Nursing, had an article published in the Journal of Teaching and Learning in Nursing titled Validated Instructional Resource to Engage Nursing Students in Critical Thinking. July 2022. Read the article.

Dr. Joy Cook, Chair and Radiologic and Imaging Sciences, and Dr. Heather Schmuck, Clinical Associate Professor of Radiologic and Imaging Sciences, were co-authors of an article, Analysis of Manufacturers' Recommendations of the Care and Use of Lead Apparel, that was published in Radiology Management, the Journal of AHRA: The Association for Medical Imaging Management (May/June 2022, Volume 44, Number 3).

Nursing faculty Dr. Mikel Hand, Dr. Jennifer Evans, Dr. Connie Swenty, Dr. Ann White and Dr. Chen Chen are the authors of An Examination of Factors Associated with Student Resiliency that was published in the May/June 2022 issue of Nurse Educator. Read the article.

Dr. Ashley Carter, Shellye Davis and Amy Pierce, Nursing faculty, presented "Cultivating Cultural Humility" at USI's 6^th Annual Celebration of Teaching and Learning Symposium’s Lightning Presentation about Teaching Practice on February 10, 2022.

Dr. Ashley Carter, Shellye Davis, Amy Pierce, Dr. Susan Seibert and Dr. Ryan Butler, Nursing faculty, are the authors of a manuscript, Developing Cultural Humility Among Prelicensure Nursing Students, that was published in the January/February 2022 issue of Nurse Educator. Read the article. 

Dr. M. Jane Swartz and Jennifer Palmer, both of the Center for Health Professions Lifelong Learning, had an article published online in the Journal of Thrombosis and Thrombolysis in January 2022. The title was Barriers and Motivators to National Board Certification as a Certified Anticoagulation Care Provider.

Brandy Sitzman, Project Coordinator for the USI Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP), completed Dementia Live® Certification Training through the GWEP.