I have served on the Board of Directors for Catholic Health System since 2013.
Archives
Safe Sleep for Newborns
Safe Sleep for Newborns is an evidence-based teaching program developed for families giving birth at Sisters of Charity Hospital. This initiative has multiple activities: (1) development of an evidence-based teaching program which is role modeled for patients and families on the Mother-Baby Unit at Sisters of Charity Hospital (completed); (2) publication of the teaching program in Neonatal Network: The Journal of Neonatal Nursing (completed); (3) research on the factors influencing infant sleep position and behaviors in the home (on-going); (4) research on the effectiveness of the safe sleep teaching program (on-going); and (5) development of mobile education tool focused on safe sleep for parents and families (on-going).
Neonatal Consequences of Pregnancy Events: What Every Nursery Nurse Needs to Know
“Neonatal Consequences of Pregnancy Events: What Every Nursery Nurse Needs to Know” is a series being written for a column on newborn care in Neonatal Network: The Journal of Neonatal Nursing. Each article will be co-authored by a School of Nursing student and a mother-baby nurse from Sisters of Charity Hospital. This project will disseminate critical knowledge and evidence related to the care of infants in the first 24 hours of life.
UB Memorandum of Understanding with the Indian Health Service
In summer 2013, University at Buffalo signed an MOU with the Indian Health Service committing the university to the tasks of improving the health of the indigenous people of Western New York and making active efforts to improve access to UB for Native students. I have served as the dean’s point person for the execution of this MOU. My work to date has been focussed on reaching out to the Six Nations, making them aware of UB’s interest in forming partnerships, and working with the Indian Health Service to identify potentially important UB services and programs that could be directed toward improving the health of indigenous people.
UB on the Green
UB on the Green is a free, outdoor, family-friendly festival of music, dance and fun, celebrating summer in the South Campus neighborhood. Community residents bring their own lawn chairs, food and drinks to Hayes Hall Lawn, and enjoy great entertainment, hands-on activities, and dynamic demonstrations and workshops. UB on the Green features an exciting theme each night, including “Unity in the Community & Health Care Fair Night,” “Arts & Culture Night” and “Athletics Night.”
Joining Forces-UB
Responding to the White House’s 2010 Joining Forces initiative to enhance the health care of veterans and military families, the Schools of Nursing and Social Work received a 3E Grant to advance the knowledge, skills and abilities of University at Buffalo (UB) nursing and social work students and community practitioners to better address existing and future unmet needs. The mission of Joining Forces-UB is to develop a comprehensive veteran and military family care educational program for students and community practitioners, and build a portfolio of interdisciplinary research. The project pursues this mission by capitalizing on the strengths and resources of the UB School of Nursing (SON) and UB School of Social Work (SSW) in partnership with local community organizations serving veterans and/or military families in the Western New York region.
Experiential Learning: Undergraduate Nursing Clinicals in Spring Semesters
The students have “clinicals,” or clinical experiences, in hospitals, home care agencies and other health care related sites in the Buffalo area, where they apply classroom and lab learning to the clinical patients we encounter in various settings. These experiences are ongoing throughout the upper division nursing curriculum.
Interacting Compassionately with the LGBT Community
This was an hour-long presentation to the Catholic Health System (CHS) staff, nursing and others, about how to encounter and engage the LGBT patients who present to the CHS facilities, and how to make those encounters with care and compassion. I addressed definitions, health disparities and ways to interact with all patients that make no assumptions about gender or sexual orientation.
School of Nursing Clinical Practicum
The School of Nursing (SON) works collaboratively with health systems in Western New York to provide clinical practicum experiences for nursing students. The practicum provides hands-on experience in caring for patients across the life span and across health care setting. Students benefit from mentoring, role-modeling and engagement with health care professionals in developing the professional nursing role.
Community Health Fair Tuscarora Indian Nation
Provide support and education for blood pressure and blood pressure screening/education, in addition to immunization support for a vulnerable population of Native Americans in the Tuscarora Indian Nation.