SCHOLAR DIRECTORY

As a critical care nurse working in the hospital setting, I have 32 years of experience in caring for the acutely ill populations including patents with congestive heart failure (CHF). My areas of interest are in cardiology, self-care and quality of living for our patients and families. In my clinical nurse specialist (CNS) role, we are seeking to reduce our 30-day readmission rates for CHF patients. To accomplish this, we must look at improved patient education and improved communication modalities. Motivational interviewing and the use of home tele monitoring can be an adjunct to improving self-care and self-management of this chronic disease management process. Patient perceptions and adherence with home tele monitoring is also of interest. There is not cure for CHF. Therefore, I am also interested in the transition for acute disease management to the palliative care focus, while maximizing quality of living. I have been recognized in the San Diego community as an outstanding Advanced Practice Nurse (2013 award). The PhD education, which I am obtaining at the University of San Diego, is providing me with the foundational knowledge in how to improve my knowledge and skills as a nurse scientist. In my CNS role, I am leading groups of interprofssionals on several committees and councils. I plan to use my newly obtained knowledge to strengthen my leadership skills and continue my pursuit of various forms of nursing research

Janet Thurston is a Certified Nurse Midwife, Family Nurse Practitioner with over thirty years of clinical experience in family healthcare. She has garnered support for local and international programs supporting health in Russia and in the United States. She previously was an adjunct nursing faculty at Arizona State University. Her current interest is in the use of Electronic Medical Records for Nurse Practitioners and Nurse Midwives. She is pursuing her Doctorate of Nursing Practice at Frontier Nursing University and plans to graduate in 2015. She hopes to further her career in Nursing Education and develop applications for clinical informatics, improving population health outcomes and support Nurse Practitioner and Nurse Midwife Education with community based workforce development

Ellen Tilden RN, MS, CNM earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Theory from Reed College and a Master of Science and Certificate in Nurse-Midwifery from the University of California, San Francisco. She has practiced as a full-scope CNM since 2000. Ms. Tilden is currently in the second year of her PhD training in the School of Nursing at Oregon Health and Science University, Portland Oregon. She is passionate about identifying risk-appropriate care for healthy pregnant and laboring women for the purpose of reducing unnecessary or harmful interventions during labor, including decreasing primary cesarean delivery rates. Her doctoral research seeks to evaluate if healthy pregnant women’s participation in group prenatal care is associated with higher rates of active labor (versus latent labor) hospital admission and lower rates of cesarean delivery without evidence of harm to the neonate. In 2014, she was published in the Obstetrical and Gynecological Survey as the first author of ‘Group Prenatal Care: Review of Outcomes and Recommendations for Model Implementation.’ Ms. Tilden has received several scholarships and awards during her doctoral training including the Sigma Theta Tau Beta Psi Award, the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) W. Newton Long Award, and both the ACNM 2014 Best Poster Award and the ACNM Division of Research 2014 Best Research Poster Award. She is a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Sigma Theta Tau honor societies.

I am currently a student at the Uniformed Services University Graduate School of Nursing in the Family Nurse Practitioner program. I’ve been an Army nurse for 10 years and was specialized in Public Health Nursing. My previous assignment was a Combat Support Hospital where I deployed to Iraq as the nurse officer in charge of the outpatient clinic. I am interested in Women’s health.

Inquisitive by nature, I am committed to life-long learning and the application of that knowledge in the service of others. Prior to my current career as an Educational Nurse Coordinator, I worked in a steel mill for twenty-seven years. While working at the steel mill, I also attended college classes and pursued a part-time military career in the Michigan Army National Guard as a Military Police Officer. Presently, I am a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Army Reserve and support Battalion Staffs as an Observer/Controller-Trainer. Initially, I earned an Associate Degree in Nursing and was awarded a Honor’s Scholarship. I then continued my studies at Wayne State University and earned a Presidential Scholarship. I completed a Bachelor Degree in Psychology and then continued my nursing studies in an accelerated BSN-MSN program. In 2003, I began my nursing career with the University of Michigan Healthcare System. While working as an Operating Room Registered Nurse, I completed my Acute Care Nurse Practitioner M.S. degree and then post-graduate studies for certification as a Nurse Educator. As a student in the University of Michigan Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) Program, I will exploit my opportunities as a Jonas Veterans Healthcare Scholar and apply transformational leadership skills in the realm of nursing. I am learning new skills in implementation science and how to conduct sound, scientific research. I have a hunger to: effectively implement these skills, enhance patient care and workplace safety, and serve as a nursing leader and scientist.

Jasmine Travers is a second year pre-doctoral student at Columbia University School of Nursing Center for Health Policy. Prior to Columbia, she earned her BSN from Adelphi University, MSN from Stony Brook University and holds her board certification in Adult Gerontological Health by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. Her research interest lies in health disparities among minority populations and nursing workforce diversity. Ms. Travers worked as a critical care staff nurse, and clinical nurse educator. Currently, she serves as an Adjunct Faculty member for the School of Nursing and Public Health at Adelphi University and plans to continue in academia as a nurse scientist and educator upon completion of her degree. For the 2014-2016 years, Ms. Travers has received funding support from a NINR NIH Diversity Research Supplement aimed to increase diversity in health-related research. Under this supplement and the guidance of her mentoring team, Ms. Travers will examine relationships between diversity in sociodemographics amongst nursing attendants and the provision of quality nursing home care as well as health disparities in long-term care setting residents related to infection control structures and processes in preventing HAIs in nursing homes. At the start of the 2014 academic year, Ms. Travers will also serve as the student representative to Columbia University’s School of Nursing PhD Faculty Committee.