2020 News Archive
Tuesday, January 19, 2021 — An updated look at the Helen Wood Hall's building expansion project.
Monday, December 21, 2020 — The installation of Kathi Heffner, PhD, and Vankee Lin, PhD, RN, as Wilson Professors was unlike any that had come before it. Heffner and Lin were the first School of Nursing faculty members to be awarded the University of Rochester’s prestigious Marie C. Wilson and Joseph C. Wilson Professorship. They were also the first women recipients of the honor in its more than 50 years of existence.
Monday, December 21, 2020 — Patty Smith, RN, BSN, was a bank manager for 15 years before she took a leap of faith and went back to school to become a nurse at age 34. “Nursing was always at the back of my mind,” said Smith, an ER nurse at St. James Hospital. “My dad was terminally ill with lung cancer when I was young and I helped my mom take care of him. That experience was truly an inspiring factor in my decision to go back to school for nursing.”
Thursday, December 17, 2020 — The University of Rochester School of Nursing is set to launch a new Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP) Acute Care program, its latest groundbreaking initiative in a history of transformative nurse practitioner education. The one-year post-master’s certificate program, slated to begin in the fall of 2021, is the first of its kind in New York State.
Thursday, December 17, 2020 — Video about St. James CNO Melissa Rackmil
Wednesday, December 16, 2020 — Time-lapse Video Dec. 7-11
Tuesday, December 15, 2020 — For more than 60 years, the University of Rochester School of Nursing has been a central influence in the professional life of Elizabeth Kellogg Walker. She first came to the university as an undergraduate in 1957 and retired from the SON faculty in 2016. After so many years being connected to the school, she knew exactly where she would direct the funds if she ever found herself in a position to make a substantial financial gift.
Friday, December 11, 2020 — In her new book, Multifamily Therapy Group for Young Adults with Anorexia Nervosa: Reconnecting for Recovery, Professor of Clinical Nursing Mary Tantillo, PhD, PMHCNS-BC, FAED, CGP, examines recovery under a relational lens.
Friday, December 11, 2020 — Joan McAllister, RN, St. James Ambulatory Surgery Center, always knew she wanted to be a nurse. ”I loved science and everything about nursing,” she said. In fact one of her early memories includes playing nurse while her sister played teacher. So no one was surprised when McAllister and her sister actually chose those careers for their lives.
Friday, December 11, 2020 — Amy Campbell, RN, already had a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Shippensburg University before she decided to go to nursing school at Alfred State right after her daughter’s first birthday. She chose St. James to begin her career because she was impressed at how much nurses can do and learn there.
Monday, November 23, 2020 — While the broad architecture and organization of the human brain is universal, new research shows how the differences between how people reimagine common scenarios can be observed in brain activity and quantified. These unique neurological signatures could ultimately be used to understand, study, and even improve treatment of disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease. “When people imagine similar types of events, each person does it differently because they have different experiences,” said Feng (Vankee) Lin, PhD, RN, an associate professor in the University of Rochester School of Nursing and co-author of the study which appears in the journal Nature Communications.
Thursday, November 19, 2020 — Molly Sherwood became focused on becoming a midwife before she even knew much about the profession. “When I was about 12 years old I found out my best friend was delivered at home by a midwife,” she said. “I was fascinated and wanted to learn more about them. Then I couldn’t get the idea of becoming a midwife out of my head. I pursued my undergraduate degree in sociology but every paper I wrote and every project I did was about birth outcomes and the role of midwives in health care.”
Thursday, November 19, 2020 — "The University Midwifery Group seeks to practice authentic midwifery,” said second-year midwife Caroline Kern. “After midwifery school I applied all over the country but I chose to join this practice because of who these women are, their force in numbers, and long history. It is a gift for me to work with and learn from these supportive midwives.”
Tuesday, November 17, 2020 — Pamela Jurich-Wright, CNM, MS, was in nursing school in the early ‘90s when she first met a midwife. “I was so inspired by her care and kindness,” said Jurich-Wright. “She was very present for her patient. And I realized that I would love to do that, too.”
Tuesday, November 17, 2020 — Helene Thompson-Scott, CNM, is passionate about women’s health. She didn’t know much about midwives until she became a friend’s birth partner at a midwife-run birthing center. That’s when she was introduced to her true calling.
Monday, November 16, 2020 — Year of the Nurse and Midwife: Tracy Webber
Thursday, November 05, 2020 — For the fifth consecutive year, the University of Rochester School of Nursing gathered nursing experts at the DNP Summit to address the need for strong practitioners and nursing professionals to be prepared to meet challenges and enact positive change during a crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic.
Monday, October 26, 2020 — Three members of the UR School of Nursing faculty are among a dozen URMC professors to be honored at the Rochester Academy of Medicine’s annual awards event on Oct. 27. members of the UR School of Nursing faculty are among a dozen URMC professors to be honored at the Rochester Academy of Medicine’s annual awards event on Oct. 27. Marianne Chiafery, Beth Palermo, and Tobie Olsan were each selected to be recognized at the academy’s annual meeting for their contributions to health care in the Rochester community.
Friday, October 23, 2020 — Michelle Morales was honored by the New York State Office of Mental Health in October for her work mentoring parents of children with eating disorders. Morales is a parent peer mentor for the Western New York Comprehensive Care Center for Eating Disorders. In her role, she teaches parents and parents how to offer support to their loved ones in recovery. She was selected to be the Family/Caregiver honoree at the What’s Great in Our State event, a forum to celebrate children’s mental health awareness, and recognized at the awards ceremony on Oct. 15.
Friday, October 23, 2020 — A $1.2 million grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, will help expand the Nurse Practitioner Residency program that is integrated into the University of Rochester/Highland Hospital Family Medicine Residency Program. Funding of $400,000 each year for three years will be used to expand the NP residency program from two residents per year to four residents per year
Wednesday, October 14, 2020 — A safe hospital experience for pediatric patients and staff is an important goal of Golisano Children’s Hospital. Some children who are admitted to the hospital have issues with behavior or communication that exist prior to admission. Over the past several years 8 South at Golisano has implemented steps to help reduce the risk of serious injury.
Wednesday, October 14, 2020 — Kara Turner, RN, has seen a lot of miracles as well as heartbreak during her 12 years as a bedside nurse in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Golisano Children’s Hospital. She has seen the pain that parents experience when a child dies and the comfort that they experience from donating the child’s organs. And she wanted to find a way that families could honor that decision. That’s why she suggested that an honor walk be part of the organ donation process.
Wednesday, October 14, 2020 — Golisano Children’s Hospital nurses care for families with compassionate support when they are experiencing the death of a child. And the nurses look for ways to offer as much comfort as they can during this emotional time. One of the hardest things for parents is when they see their child for the last time, and have to leave the child in the room and exit alone. That’s why they created Charlie’s Way.”
Wednesday, October 14, 2020 — Embracing diversity and promoting inclusion and education is a way of life for Golisano Children’s Hospital’s AC6 Pediatric Practice. Spearheaded by nurses, the practice created a collaborative, interdisciplinary diversity committee more than 15 years ago to better serve patients and families.
Wednesday, October 14, 2020 — In early Spring, the Black Physicians Network of Greater Rochester, the Rochester Black Nurses Association and public health organizations mobilized to form “Community Fighting COVID.” The organization was formed to specifically help communities of color prepare for the brewing pandemic by providing culturally competent information.
Monday, October 05, 2020 — For the fourth straight year, the UR School of Nursing was honored with the Health Professions Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine.
Thursday, October 01, 2020 — A $15 million expansion project at Helen Wood Hall will enhance the academic environment and allow the University of Rochester School of Nursing to better serve its surge in new students. The project adds three floors to the Loretta C. Ford Education Wing. Construction begins in the fall of 2020 and is expected to be completed by May 2022.
Monday, September 28, 2020 — Sue Bezek, Year of the Nurse and Midwife
Monday, September 21, 2020 — Nothing has been more abundantly clear throughout the COVID-19 pandemic than the value of nurses. That’s why now this year’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Summit, “DNPs Leading and Caring in Crisis,” could not come at a more appropriate time. The University of Rochester School of Nursing will host the fifth annual DNP Summit starting Friday, Oct. 16, and continuing Oct. 23 and Oct. 30.
Wednesday, September 09, 2020 — Tonya Reisman had a nine-year career as a certified optician at a Walmart Vision Center before she even thought about becoming a nurse. Everything changed when her grandmother became ill. “My grandmother was my best friend,” she said. “I took care of her every day until she passed away.”
Wednesday, September 09, 2020 — Kari Zwiefka once thought she wanted to be a physical therapist. But, with some encouragement from her aunt, who was a nurse, she started nursing school and fell in love with it. Zwiefka earned her nursing degree and began her career working in a nursing home. She has been at Jones Memorial Hospital for more than 20 years, serving in a variety of different posts.
Wednesday, September 09, 2020 — Donna Bliven, Year of the Nurse and Midwife
Friday, September 04, 2020 — “My first exposure to the health care system was pregnancy and delivery,” said Jennifer Middaugh, CNM, a certified nurse midwife at Jones Memorial Hospital. “And I loved my labor nurse at Jones, Sandra Moore, RN. She made a huge impression on me so I knew when I went into health care that I would head towards obstetrics and gynecology.”
Friday, September 04, 2020 — Kaitlyn Anderson didn’t plan on being a nurse. But during high school she worked at the Jones Memorial Hospital registration office, and was intrigue by what she noticed going on around her. She was suddenly drawn to the idea of being part of direct patient care, and chose LPN school at Belmont BOCES. “After about a week and a half of the two-year program I fell in love with nursing,” she said. “I love learning and knowing that I can help people.”
Thursday, September 03, 2020 — Her first job out of high school was as a nurse’s aide. Over the next 32 years, Dena Helms has served in a variety of roles, from hospital floor nurse, office nurse, CPR instructor, OR nurse, care manager, and Army nurse. And she’s not done yet. “I don’t know if I’ll ever retire,” she said. “Nursing continues to be a perfect career for me.”
Wednesday, September 02, 2020 — It was a school year that no one saw coming. It started normally enough for the August 2020 cohort of the University of Rochester School of Nursing’s Accelerated Program for Non-Nurses as they sat side by side in the auditorium of Helen Wood Hall for orientation. Despite the unprecedented challenges of COVID-19, the August 2020 cohort was able to attend their in-person pinning ceremony.
Tuesday, September 01, 2020 — For the first time, the UR School of Nursing held its convocation in a virtual format. The traditional event, which welcomed more than 200 new students and nearly 600 returning students, formally kicks off the 2020-21 academic year. The school also recognized five of its top returning scholars at the event.
Thursday, August 13, 2020 — When the University of Rochester School of Nursing’s 2020-21 academic year begins, things will look a little different in Helen Wood Hall. New school-wide protocols, including mandatory masking, daily health screenings, and changes to the physical setup of classrooms and common areas in the school’s longtime building, have been implemented to ensure the safety of faculty, students, and staff.
Wednesday, August 12, 2020 — Cherie Gibson, RN, MN, BSN, wears many hats at Noyes Memorial Hospital. Her official title is emergency department module coordinator (EMC). But she is also an ED staff nurse, an educator in the ED, a PICC line nurse, and she teaches classes in Basic and Advanced Cardiac Life Support. If that’s not enough, you can also find her teaching Alfred State nursing students – something she calls her “fun job.”
Wednesday, August 12, 2020 — Jessica Porter’s nursing career has centered on surgery. ”My favorite part of nursing school was anatomy and physiology,” she said. “I began my career as a floor nurse on a surgical floor and I’ve worked in the OR, too. I love that surgery is about fixing problems. Patients come to us with something broken or not working well. It’s very fulfilling when we can fix it and send them home feeling better.”
Tuesday, August 11, 2020 — Amy Amell, an RN at Noyes Memorial Hospital’s 8-bed ICU, knew she wanted a career where she could take care of people. The Hornell resident, who grew up in the small, rural town of Arkport, also knew she wanted to live and practice nursing in a similar place.
Tuesday, August 11, 2020 — When Casey Renno, RN, BSN, med/surg charge nurse at Noyes Memorial Hospital, was a child she spent a lot of time in hospitals because her brother was born with a rare disease. “I was always around nurses as a young girl,” she said. “They helped my brother and my whole family including me. I wanted to be that kind of person. That’s one of the reasons I became a nurse.”
Monday, August 03, 2020 — Tamara West, Year of the Nurse and Midwife
Tuesday, July 28, 2020 — The COVID-19 pandemic is disproportionately affecting communities of color, not because of biological factors, but because of deeply rooted social and economic inequalities, and that is reminiscent of the HIV epidemic, says a commentary in the Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care co-authored in part by University of Rochester School of Nursing alumni and faculty.
Tuesday, June 23, 2020 — As a young girl Yachica Johnson, LPN, developed a passion for helping others as her family cared for her grandmother with health issues. For the past 23 years she has worked in area nursing homes and for home care agencies. Since 2016, she has been part of UR Medicine Home Care. Johnson’s commitment to nursing goes beyond her work. She is also a board member of the Rochester Chapter of the National Black Nurses Association (RBNA).
Monday, June 22, 2020 — Kathy Rideout - Year of the Nurse and Midwife
Monday, June 22, 2020 — “My decision to become a nurse goes back to my years in college,” said Kaydean Harris. “I always knew I wanted to be in the health care field because I had a passion for caring for others. But I wasn’t sure where I fit in. I chose the University of Rochester School of Nursing because the program offers the highest quality education, as well as several levels of degree programs,” said Harris, who is a nurse practitioner at Thompson Health Urgent Care and recently joined the faculty at the UR School of Nursing
Tuesday, June 09, 2020 — The National Institutes of Health recently awarded $3 million to Associate Professor Feng (Vankee) Lin, PhD, RN, and Associate Professor Kathi Heffner, PhD, to study the cognitive health in older adults at risk for dementia.
Tuesday, June 02, 2020 — Developed by the School of Nursing, the UR Medicine Employee Wellness program was among the honorees receiving the 2020 Meliora Award. The award, presented by the University of Rochester, recognizes staff members whose work performance and dedication during the preceding years exemplify the University's motto, Meliora.
Monday, June 01, 2020 — Hazel Robertshaw, Year of the Nurse and Midwife
Thursday, May 28, 2020 — UR President Mangelsdorf and UR Medicine CNE Karen Davis Celebrating Nurses Week
Thursday, May 21, 2020 — A nurse since 2005 and a midwife since 2016, Samera Sorell has delivered more than 200 babies. “The birth of a baby is such an intense, vulnerable moment for any family,” she said. “It is a privilege to be there and help them through that moment in time.”
Wednesday, May 20, 2020 — “I became a nurse because I fell in love with taking care of people,” said Caitlin Bonanni, RN. It all began when her husband deployed to Afghanistan and she started working at Thompson as a tech on 3 West, a medical/surgical, stroke care, and telemetry unit. She worked at Thompson as a nurse’s aide and a secretary while pursuing her education at Finger Lakes Health College of Nursing and Sciences and The College at Brockport.
Tuesday, May 19, 2020 — Patrick Hopkins, whose soft-spoken and gentle manner belies his vehement passion for teaching and bringing out the best of his students, was honored by the University of Rochester with the Edward Peck Curtis Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching. He is only the third nursing faculty member to receive the award in its 58-year history.
Tuesday, May 05, 2020 — Crisis tends to bring out the best of people, and that’s never been more true than during the COVID-19 pandemic, says University of Rochester Medical Center Chief Nursing Executive Karen Davis. She said she’s extremely proud of how well nurses have responded. “It’s been awe-inspiring to see how people have taken this on. We’re so fortunate to have the group of nurses and health care providers that we do here.”
Tuesday, May 05, 2020 — Anthony Condo has been a member of the Highly Infectious Disease Unit at Strong Memorial Hospital for more than a year. He considers it his civic duty to be on the front lines of the fight against COVID-19. “If we don’t do it, who will?”
Tuesday, May 05, 2020 — Danette Niles became a member of the front line team treating COVID-19 literally overnight. Providing patient care to patients with this virus has been a challenge, she said, but not for the reasons you might think.
Tuesday, May 05, 2020 — Lydia Rotondo, DNP, RN, CNS, FNAP, associate dean of education and student affairs, salutes the contributions nurses and midwives have made to the health and well-being of populations across the globe. Her essay is part of the Democrat and Chronicle's tribute to National Nurses' Week.
Monday, May 04, 2020 — Oncology nursing is a challenging field, but for Colleen Bayer, BSN, OCN, it became a natural choice. In high school she wasn’t sure if she wanted to be a nurse or a teacher but family experiences and meaningful opportunities led her to her destined career.
Monday, April 27, 2020 — Growing up in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Rhona Henry found the inspiration to be a nurse from her grandmother and great-grandmother. When she moved to New York and went to nursing school, she discovered her love of oncology nursing.
Friday, April 24, 2020 — KC Clevenger - Year of the Nurse and Midwife
Tuesday, April 21, 2020 — When all University of Rochester School of Nursing classes were moved online, and most of the students’ clinical hours and jobs were put on hold, Andrew Wolf, EdD, MS, RN, ACNP-C, director of educational effectiveness and assistant professor of clinical nursing, sensed an opportunity.
Tuesday, April 14, 2020 — University of Rochester Medical Center’s Chief Nursing Executive Karen K. Davis, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, Strong Memorial Hospital, and experts at the University of Rochester School of Nursing teamed up to create a refresher course for nurses re-entering the workforce.
Friday, March 27, 2020 — A nurse can have many roles during the course of a career. Emily Winters, MS, RN-BC, NEA-BC, has shined in a variety of roles during her 26-year career. Her dedication to her profession, to our community and to world health is what made her a natural choice for the 2020 RBJ Health Care Heroes Award in the Nursing category.
Tuesday, March 24, 2020 — When Nicole Dobbertin, RN, BSN, was in elementary school, her mom, Jacquie, began studying to be a nurse. As a young girl, she was inspired by how excited her mother was about classes and clinical rotations. “I also loved helping others and learning how the body works,” said Dobbertin. “And I knew that would be the career for me, too.”
Tuesday, March 17, 2020 — Taubman in Two: Year of the Nurse and Midwife
Tuesday, March 17, 2020 — Melissa Derleth, Year of the Nurse and Midwife
Tuesday, March 17, 2020 — The University of Rochester School of Nursing made a big move in the highest-profile rankings of master’s nursing programs. The school jumped nine places, landing at No. 26 in the 2021 Best Graduate Schools guide produced by U.S. News and World Report. The ranking is the school’s best showing in the publication since coming in at No. 29 in 2004, when nursing schools were featured on a quadrennial basis.
Monday, March 16, 2020 — Harriet Kitzman, a brilliant and internationally renowned researcher whose lifetime of work in pediatrics reshaped how health care is provided to young mothers and their children, died March 11. She was 82. She leaves a powerful legacy created during a 60-plus year career as a nurse, researcher, professor, mentor, and leader, most of it spent at the University of Rochester School of Nursing.
Wednesday, March 04, 2020 — Two University of Rochester School of Nursing faculty members have been accepted into the prestigious National Academies of Practice (NAP) in Nursing. In recognition of their outstanding professional achievements and contributions to the field of nursing, Lydia Rotondo and Susan Blaakman will be formally inducted as Distinguished Fellows at the nursing academy’s annual meeting in San Diego, March 12 to 14.
Tuesday, March 03, 2020 — Karen Davis - Year of the Nurse and Midwife
Thursday, February 27, 2020 — Meet Jon Kuppinger. He is a US Navy veteran, a former California high tech professional, a paramedic, a rock star, and since 2017, has found his true calling as a level 3 bedside nurse on a cardiac care unit at Strong Memorial Hospital.
Monday, February 24, 2020 — In conjunction with the 200th birthdays of Florence Nightingale and Susan B. Anthony and the 100th anniversary of the 19th amendment, which gave women the right to vote, Jones Memorial Hospital and UR Medicine have joined the World Health Organization in celebrating 2020 as the Year of the Nurse and Midwife.
Monday, February 24, 2020 — The University of Rochester School of Nursing is pleased to welcome Meghan L. Underhill-Blazey, PhD, APRN, AOCNS and Annmarie Flanagan, DNP, APN, FNP-C., and announce the recent faculty leadership appointments of Susan M. Ciurzynski, PhD, RN-BC, PNP, VCE, FNAP, and Tara M. Serwetnyk, MS, RN-BC.
Tuesday, February 18, 2020 — The University of Rochester School of Nursing ranks No. 22 in 2019 research grant funding issued by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This is the school's fourth time in the last five years, and nine times in the past 12 years being in the top 25.
Wednesday, February 12, 2020 — In a collaborative effort, Wilmot and the University of Rochester School of Nursing support nurse-initiated research programs through the development of the Oncology Nurse Scientist Partnership.
Thursday, February 06, 2020 — There are far more roles for nurses today than ever before, according to Hazel Robertshaw, vice president of patient care services and chief nursing officer for UR Medicine Thompson Health.
Wednesday, February 05, 2020 — The University of Rochester has launched initiatives to memorialize the legacy of Nancy Melvin Taylor '86N.
Monday, February 03, 2020 — Mary G. Carey, PhD, RN, FAHA, FAAN, an associate professor at the University of Rochester School of Nursing and director of the Clinical Nursing Research Center at Strong Memorial Hospital, has been named a Health Care Hero by the Rochester Business Journal.
Friday, January 31, 2020 — Feng (Vankee) Lin, PhD, an associate professor in the School of Nursing, is harnessing neuroimaging technologies in an effort to develop new diagnostic tools for early detection of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, identify new therapeutic targets that hold the potential to slow the progression of the diseases, and understand the cognitive decline associated with normal aging.
Thursday, January 23, 2020 — David Goede, assistant professor of clinical nursing at the University of Rochester School of Nursing and lead manager of advance practice providers for the cardiovascular service line at the UR Medical Center, has been elected to lead the Nurse Practitioner Association of New York State (NPA). A nursing professional since 1985, Goede took over as president of the organization on Jan. 1. He represents more than 14,000 actively practicing nurse practitioners across the state.
Monday, January 13, 2020 — The World Health Organization (WHO) is designating 2020 as The Year of the Nurse and Midwife, and the University of Rochester School of Nursing is playing a leading role as the UR Medical Center and its affiliate hospital make plans to honor nurses and midwives throughout the year. The celebration is being held in conjunction with the 200th birthday of Florence Nightingale.
Friday, January 10, 2020 — The Patrick P. Lee Foundation has awarded $217,500 to the University of Rochester School of Nursing to create scholarships for students earning a psychiatric nurse practitioner degree. The grant funds will be matched dollar for dollar by the UR School of Nursing and be designated for individuals from Western New York to address the critical shortage of mental health professionals.
Thursday, January 09, 2020 — The School of Nursing began its fall 2019 academic year by welcoming a record-breaking class of 235 new students. The most recent spike continues the substantial growth at the school where enrollment has increased more than 40 percent since 2016, from 529 to 742 students.
Wednesday, January 08, 2020 — A new center at the University of Rochester is bringing together researchers to find new and innovative ways to promote social connectedness and the overall health of older adults caring for a loved one with dementia. The Roybal Center for Social Ties and Aging Research (STAR), a joint initiative between the UR School of Nursing and the Department of Psychiatry, is funded by a $3.6 million grant from the National Institutes of Health.