Fall Induction Lindsay and Rhonda Xi Kappa held their annual fall induction ceremony on November 5 , 2007 at the NDSU Alumni Center. Many students and community members were present.  Among them there were many family members and friends of the inductees and fellow nurses.   The evening was held at the NDSU alumni center and began with a welcome by Dr. Marjorie McCullagh.  Dr. McCullagh gave a presentation titled, “You Belong Here” for the audience while they enjoyed a dessert bar.  The induction of students and community members proceeded with each inductee being presented with  induction materials and signing membership register.  The night concluded with recognition of outgoing officers and the installation of new officers by Sara Stetz, Chair of the Leadership Succession Committee.    The following Concordia College student inductees were introduced by Counselor Jennifer DeJong: Erin Douglas, Kayla Kennedy, Rachel Millarleake, Jordan Leighnikie, Cayle Norvet, Samantha Schneider, Darcy Swagger, Erin Telander, Jenna Thureen, and Elizabeth Weisbrich.  Jamestown College students were introduced by Counselor Dr. Teree Rittenbach and became members: Megan Burns, Lori Cawley, Sierra Devries, Katie Froemke, Molly Hanson, Krista Ledeboer, Kellie Miller, Darcie Peterson, Heidi Reitan, Sabina Sherchan, Johanna Neueunke, and Dana Venhuzen.  Minnesota State University Moorhead students accepted invitations to membership and were introduced by Counselor Carolyn Townsend: Robert Kari, Carrie Loberg, Myriah Morth, Ashley Oliverus, Tracey Sand, Celine Schmidt, Brett Tilman, Amanda Tracey, Jill Breitkreutz, Colleen Larson, and Alice Wagner.  North Dakota State University students were introduced by Counselor Dr. Beverly Greenwald: Kaye Fortin, Tuula Kalleoniem, Wendy Hournbuckle, Sharri Lacher, and Brenda Zens.  Community members included: Kimberly Ash, Bethany Mello, and Shila Thompson. For selected photos and program, click this link.  Top of Page

Spring Events  Huffing, Dexing, and Pharming: Emerging Issues in Adolescent Drug Abuse by Lisa Steffen

On Tuesday, April 25th, Sigma Theta Tau Xi-Kappa-At-Large hosted their spring event titled: Huffing, Dexing, and Pharming: Emerging Issues in Adolescent Drug Abuse. This program sought to explore adolescent drug use and abuse, its prevalence, detection, and treatment, as well as its current trends the Fargo-Moorhead area. It was no ordinary lecture/discussion. This program was held in the format of a panel discussion. Questions were presented and each panel member was given a chance to respond with questions welcome from the audience.  Three area experts served on the panel: Vanessa Handte, Jason Anderson, and Julie Sagan. Vanessa Handte has been a licensed addictions counselor for fifteen years as well as a licensed professional counselor with her specialization in adolescents. Officer Jason Anderson is a police officer currently serving as a School Resource Officer in the West Fargo Public School. He helps to educate parents, teachers, and students about drug use and abuse, as well as to identify those using drugs and those at risk. Julie Sagen is a Registered Nurse with over twenty years of experience working with chemically dependent individuals. Huffing, Dexing, and Pharming started off with a bang as Julie explained just exactly what huffing, dexing, and pharming was, as well as identifying ordinary unsuspecting household items kids use to get high. Vanessa particularly focused on the psychological and treatments aspects of adolescent drug use. Jason told us just exactly what he is seeing in the school system. All three added their unique perspective to each question presented.  The event was well attended from area nurses, and even some non-nurses. One hour of CEUs was provided free of charge. A special thanks to Marjorie McCullagh and Mary Kay Schwandt for serving on the planning committee, and to Lisa Steffen and Jessica Henrickson for serving as emcees. Top of Page

April 17, 2008 NDNA District 4 together with Xi Kappa Chapter-at-Large Sigma Theta Tau Honor Society of Nursing invite you to HIV/AIDS: 25 years and counting ... What's next? by Dr Robert Tight Xi Kappa members joined the NDNA SE Region meeting attendees for a presentation and discussion by Dr. Robert Tight, "HIV/AIDS: 25 years and counting…..What’s next?" At this event, Dr. Tight provided a brief history of HIV/AIDS in the US, trends in disease incidence, high risk groups, and issues in co-infection. He also discussed new developments and future directions in HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention. The event was held at the NDSU Alumni Center.  The following is a photo image and the links at the end of the article are current. The CDC has new information on HIV testing and Medscape  has a CE on implementing the new recommendations. Top of Page

Governing Council Activities by Dr Bev Greenwald The Governing Council meets monthly to plan the activities of Xi Kappa. We plan the Fall induction event and the spring event  and are open to suggestions for future program planning. Contact Dr Greenwald. Top of Page

Volunteers: doing ~ done and encouraging others at the same time.

Highlights From Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing Critical Portfolio: Web-based Portfolio Management Solution This consummate representation of professional abilities, achievements and efforts acts as an online safety-deposit box for a host of portfolio documentation - anytime, anywhere. Your portfolio is on the Internet so it travels with you. Congratulations to all award winners. Sigma Theta Tau International is pleased to recognize the following individuals, groups and chapters. Biographies of award winners CALL FOR COLLABORATION 20/20 Presidential Call for Action Members and chapters can make a difference As we continue working in this biennium, ask yourself these critical questions: How can I make a difference in achieving the mission and vision of the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International?     What is one thing I can do this coming biennium that would contribute to the success of the defined strategic plan?     Is my vision that of the honor society’s? If a critical mass of members answers this question with action, we will be assured continued success and an enriching experience.

Schools Update 

Concordia College, by Jennifer DeJong:  

Student news: After completing the application process and participating in group interviews this spring, thirty-two undergraduate students will be offered admission into the traditional program this June. We continue to admit ten students each February into the 18-month accelerated nursing program. For the accelerated students who graduated this winter, there was a 100% passing rate on NCLEX. Twenty-six spring graduates plan to sit for the exam this summer.

Department news: Congratulations to Dr Connie Peterson who finished her PhD this spring. Other faculty members on the PhD trail include: Jean Bokinskie who is attending UND, Jack Rydell theUniversity of Minnesota, Jill Holmstrom, the University of Phoenix and Jennifer DeJong at North Dakota State University. Congratulations to Dr. Polly Kloster and Jean Bokinskie for publishing their parish nurse research in the Journal of Christian Nursing this winter.

We are happy to announce Jane Indergaard is now a full-time adjunct .

Several of us are keeping active over the summer: Dr Polly Kloster will be in China. Jennifer, Jean, Connie, and Jane will be teaching summer school to the accelerated students and Jean, Jack, and Polly will participate in the Faculty Travel Seminar sponsored by the Lilly Call to Serve Project through the Dovre Foundation in Germany. Congratulations to Jennifer and Brad DeJong on the birth of their daughter Carolyn Elizabeth. Carolyn’s three brothers, Christian, Joseph, and Johnny welcomed their sister on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, 2008.

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Jamestown College, by Jacqueline Mangnall: 

Update from Jamestown College Department of Nursing
 
As the school year comes to an end we reflect back on a busy year of teaching. We are graduating 34 seniors who are anticipating an exciting future with myriad opportunities available. This academic year, we were fortunate, with the help of a Dakota Medical Foundation grant to begin the process of increasing our nursing education capacity and are aiming to work up to 48 students per class, an increase of about 30 percent. Innovative uses of our current clinical sites and the use of hi-fidelity simulators are two of the methods that we are incorporating into our curriculum to help reach that goal.  In addition, the ability to hire and mentor nurse faculty interns has been very helpful to us in meeting our faculty needs for increased students. 
 
We were unable to travel to Chogoria, Kenya for our scheduled month-long experience in their hospital because of some serious civil unrest in that country.  Ten nursing students and two faculty were sorely disappointed and gravely concerned about their friends in Kenya. We are looking forward to continuing our partnership with them next year. In addition, we are exploring and RN to BSN completion program for diploma degree nurses from Korea. 
 
This year Jamestown College began a new college-wide initiative that addresses the student experience from the perspective of "Looking in--Looking Out---Looking Beyond---Looking Forward". The Department of Nursing is excited about this new initiative for students and we are beginning plans to incorporate this journey perspective into our nursing curriculum. It is too soon to outline any of the specifics of how we will implement this initiative in the Department of Nursing but we will have an exciting time next year fleshing out a plan of activities and curriculum modifications that will make this journey meaningful for our students. 

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MSUM, by Helen Harris:

Student News: The first cohort of pre-licensure BSN students graduated (16 in fall 2007 and the remaining 16 spring 2008).

Fall 2007 MSUM enrolled the first cohort of students in the DNP track. The DNP is offered as a collaborative program through a consortium of four universities in the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system: Minnesota State University Moorhead; Minnesota State University, Mankato; Winona State University; and Metropolitan State University. There are 5 DNP students continuing into their second year (down from 7 that started last fall 07).

Department News: The Tri-College Nursing Consortium dissolved July 1, 2007. The MSUM Graduate program had a fall site visit from AACN-CCNE and was granted a full 10 year accreditation in April 2008. The Nurse Educator and Clinical Nurse Specialist are the two tracks currently offered. The department of nursing has a name change and is the School of Nursing and Health Care Leadership. Included in the school are all of the nursing programs, Health Services Administration and Community Health Education majors.

Dr Jane Bergland will assume the director of the School of Nursing and Health Administration July 1. She had 6 BSN students in Nicaragua, March 2008 and reports it was a fantastic experience. “We provided care in emergency room, children with handicaps pediatric clinic and home visits, we did care out in 3 small villages, manned the pharmacy, did IV education to the local American Red Cross, hand washing education to school children, four community assessments, and other patient education. I look forward to the March 2009 trip.”  Dr Bergland also keeps busy with presentations: early May 'An Introduction to Cultural Competence' at the MN Department of Corrections Symposium in Monticello and will do the same for Migrant Health the end of May. She is presenting at the 34th Annual Conference of the Transcultural Nursing Society, fall 2008.

Tracy Wright joined the faculty fall 2007 as an adjunct member and received her PhD from the University of North Dakota at the same time. Dr Wright’s dissertation: Instrument Development and Psychometric Analysis: Nurses’ Urinary Incontinence Knowledge, Beliefs, and Practices. Wright accepted a nursing faculty position as Assistant Professor for fall 2008. Dr Barbara Matthees received her nurse educator certification early spring and returns from sabbatical Fall 2008. Another new
faculty for fall 2008 includes Mary Rousslang who was formerly Dean of Academic and Student Affairs at the Wadena campus of MSCTC.

 Dr Jane Giedt will be on sabbatical 2008-2009. Donna Heald will start a three year phased retirement fall 2008. 

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NDSU by Bev Greenwald: 

Student News: In May we will have 53 BSN graduates from our new curriculum. These students began the nursing curriculum in the fall semester of their sophomore years, rather than the spring semester as was previously done. Some other changes included greater emphasis on nursing research and ethics throughout the curriculum.

The LPN-BSN Bridge Program will have 13 graduates this spring. This program is primarily online, and placement testing for new applicants will be given in the beginning of September. Details about this program are available on the NDSU Nursing Department website: http://www.ndsu.edu/ndsu /nursing/programs/lpn-bsn.htm. This program was started in Spring, 2003 with support from MeritCare, and the first students graduated in Fall, 2004. There have been 24 graduates of this program. The Program Coordinator, Jana Stenson, MSN, gave a presentation on this program in November, 2007, to the AACN conference in New Orleans, LA.

Departmental News: The NDSU Graduate Program separated from the Tri-College University program, effective July 1, 2007. Twelve students will be admitted to the DNP program in Fall, 2008. For the past 2 years, no students have been admitted to the FNP program leading to a MS degree; instead all are enrolled in the DNP program. The other available tracks are Clinical Nurse Specialist and Nurse Educator. Our independent masters program has been approved for 10 years by the AACN. The DNP program will be reviewed in Fall, 2008. The College of Pharmacy, Nursing, and Allied Sciences has been involved in strategic planning this year, as coordinated by the Bernard Consulting Group.

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