School of nursing news
Faculty impact: Improving patient outcomes through nurse leadership
Dec 04, 2017When Ray Blush started to think about a career in health care, he initially put physician at the top of the list. That changed when he was an undergraduate student and got a tech job in a hospital.
“That’s where I began to understand that what I really wanted to do in caring for patients was what the nurses were doing,” he said. “They were the ones really providing the care.”
It was the late 1990s when even fewer men were nurses compared to today, but Blush said being a gender minority never gave him pause.
“I had a good group of mentors, several of them were men... Read more
My beginnings: Tanya Vaughn, CNM, FNP-BC
Dec 03, 2017This story was originally published in Panacea, Winter 2018.
Tanya Vaughn is dully certified as a nurse midwife and a family nurse practitioner working at Partridge Creek OBGYN in Macomb, Michigan. She earned her BSN from the University of Michigan-Flint then went on to the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor to earn her dual midwife/family nurse practitioner degree, where she was a Terri Murtland scholarship recipient in 2010. She earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree at Wayne State University-Detroit. This is the story of her journey in her own words.
I had... Read more
Op/Ed: Trump’s rhetoric fuels HIV epidemic
Dec 01, 2017Written by Rob Stephenson, a UMSN professor and Director of the Center for Sexuality and Health Disparities at the University of Michigan
ANN ARBOR, -- December 1 marks the first World AIDS Day under the Trump presidency. Created in 1988 to raise awareness about the HIV/AIDS epidemic and to mourn those lost to the disease, World AIDS Day provides an opportunity for us to reflect on the work that still needs to be done in the progression towards an AIDS-free generation. In 2017, World AIDS Day also provides an opportunity for us to stop and take a critical look at how Trump is... Read more
Faculty Impact: From NASA to nursing, a statistician’s team science journey
Nov 27, 2017“If you had told me when I was a high school student that one day I would be a statistician, I would have laughed,” said Robert Ploutz-Snyder, Ph.D., PSTAT®, a research professor at the University of Michigan School of Nursing (UMSN). “I did fine in math, but I thought it was boring.”
That changed when Ploutz-Snyder was pursuing a degree in experimental psychology.
“There are all sorts of predictions about behavior and measures on perceptions and feelings that are hard to measure,” he said. “You have to get creative to get answers. That’s when my eyes opened up and I... Read more
Leadership insight: Q&A with Cynthia Arslanian-Engoren
Nov 21, 2017Associate Dean of Faculty Affairs and Faculty Development Cynthia Arslanian-Engoren sat down recently with Kate Wright to discuss her plans for faculty development in the upcoming academic year. She highlighted a number of initiatives aimed at new faculty, and reflected on how the school is changing.
Kate Wright (KW): You were recently named associate dean of faculty affairs and faculty development. What does that job entail?
Cynthia Arslanian-Engoren (CAE): I focus on end-of-term review, promotion and tenure. I oversee and manage that process so it aligns with... Read more
UMSN faculty member wins APHA new investigator award
Nov 07, 2017Assistant Professor Geoffrey J. Hoffman, Ph.D., MPH, was selected for the 2017 James G. Zimmer New Investigator Award from the American Public Health Association (APHA) Aging & Public Health Section.
The award is given to new investigators in recognition of demonstrated and expected future excellence. It is intended “to recognize and further the careers of future leaders in research.”
Hoffman joined the University of Michigan School of Nursing (UMSN) in 2015 as a postdoctoral fellow and became an assistant professor this year. He brings a growing expertise in health... Read more
Leadership insight: Q&A with Marita Titler
Nov 07, 2017Marita Titler, Chair, Department of Systems, Populations and Leadership, sat down with Jaime Meyers to discuss the wide-ranging responsibilities of a department chair and what drives her commitment to research.
Jaime Meyers (JM): What are the main elements of your role as Chair of the Department of Systems, Populations and Leadership?
Marita Titler (MT): Many of my responsibilities are focused on faculty—mentoring, development, annual reviews, input on promotions and tenure, and overall department leadership. There’s also research, grant applications and peer... Read more
Student spotlight: From the Navy to nursing school
Nov 02, 2017Many students can relate to Warren DeLong’s dilemma as he approached his high school graduation. He wasn’t sure what he wanted his career to be and didn’t want to take on the cost of higher education until he figured out his path. The one thing he was sure of is that he wanted to be of service to his community. DeLong made a choice to enlist in the U.S. Navy.
“I knew I wouldn’t regret military service,” said DeLong, a Grand Ledge, MI native. “I wanted to see the world and get real-life experience before deciding on a career.”
In the NavyDeLong did have to make an early... Read more
Get to know UMSN’s CAPS counselor, Kristen Adams
Nov 02, 2017“Kristen, not Dr. Adams,” said Kristen Adams, Ph.D., when asked what she wants nursing students to call her. “I want us to be on equal footing and that’s an easy way to start.”
Kristen joined UMSN at the start of the Fall 2017 semester as an embedded Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) counselor.
“My hope is that students see me as a resource, source of support, as a member of the community, and as someone who is here to advocate for them,” she said.
Kristen is at UMSN to provide undergrad and graduate students with a host of support services including counseling... Read more
Revitalizing the role of the faculty ombuds
Oct 31, 2017Professor Janis Miller is taking on a new role leading the Office of the Faculty Ombuds for the University of Michigan School of Nursing. While the position is not a new one for the school, its use has not been fully realized. Dean Patricia Hurn intends to boost usage of the office as one tool in UMSN’s kit to improve culture.
Faculty members can reach out to the ombuds with UMSN-related concerns. The ombuds will then provide guidance to resolve the issue which could include steps such as informal mediation, referral to a U-M resource, or the recommendation to start a formal... Read more
