January 6, 2005: College of Nursing Continue to Aid Victims of Hurricane Katrina

The University of North Dakota College of Nursing faculty and staff have designed, crafted and donated 27 fleece blankets for victims of Hurricane Katrina. The blankets were sent to homeless children in Biloxi, MS.

After experiencing the flood of 1997 first hand, many College of Nursing faculty and staff opened their pocketbooks and sharpened their craft skills to help out. According to one staff member, “Katrina hit quite a nerve with us, as we all related to being evacuated and not knowing what one would come back to, or knowing that one would be coming back to a home that was uninhabitable.” They also understand the importance of basic needs such as blankets and clothing. “Some of us knew what it was like to be on the receiving end of quilts, blankets, etc. and wanted to return the favor.”

The UND College of Nursing offers undergraduate and graduate programs, from a baccalaureate nursing program that is fully accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education to master's education with six specializations and a doctoral program which prepares nurses for roles as researchers or faculty.

The Department of Nutrition and Dietetics prepares students for roles in community nutrition or dietetics and is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education of the American Dietetic Association.

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January 5, 2005: UND RAIN Program Receives $30,000 in Funding

The University of North Dakota, College of Nursing is proud to announce that the Recruitment and Retention of American Indians into Nursing (RAIN) Program is the recipient of a $30,000 grant. The grant, awarded by the Gertrude E. Skelly Foundation, will be used for priority needs within the Program.

Dr. Chandice Covington, Dean of the College of Nursing shares that “The Gertrude E. Skelly Foundation support makes a real difference for RAIN students. With the current nursing shortage reaching critical levels, we need all students to reach learning goals. Sometimes something very simple—a paid medication for your child or being able to work fewer hours to make ends meet—can change the course for a worthy student. We are indebted to this fine Foundation for their caring concern and donations to our students!”

The RAIN Program, established in the fall of 1990 to increase the number of nurses prepared to provide health care to Indian people, has educated the majority of Native American nurses in North Dakota.

“The Skelly Foundation funding has been a blessing for the RAIN Program and its students at all levels of needs” says Deb Wilson, Coordinator of the RAIN Program. “This funding gives our Program the flexibility to assist in paying for courses, books, uniforms, equipment, etc. We are able to direct funding toward the greatest need, helping students alleviate some of their financial woes so they can focus on their academics. The Skelly Foundation is truly an asset to our retention efforts.”

Miss Skelly established the Gertrude E. Skelly Charitable Foundation in 1991. The Foundation's primary purpose is to provide medical care and educational opportunities for those who cannot otherwise afford them. She believed that in establishing a foundation, she was continuing in the tradition of her parents who had strong interests in education, medicine, healthcare and providing for those in need.

The UND College of Nursing offers undergraduate and graduate programs, from a baccalaureate nursing program that is fully accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education to master's education with six specializations and a doctoral program that prepares nurses for roles as researchers or faculty.

The Department of Nutrition and Dietetics prepares students for roles in community nutrition or dietetics and is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education of the American Dietetic Association.

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January 4, 2005: College of Nursing Distinguished Alumni Nominees Sought

The University of North Dakota, College of Nursing is accepting nominations for its 2006 Distinguished Alumni Award. The CON is extremely proud of its alumni and their accomplishments, but needs assistance in identifying those individuals who meet the following award criteria.

2006 Distinguished Alumni Award
Alumni are asked to consider nominating themselves, a classmate or co-worker for the Distinguished Alumni Award. Individuals being nominated should be UND nursing alumni who have excelled in service to the nursing profession, their community, church, country or UND, as well as having demonstrated leadership and excellence in the nursing profession.

All nominations should be submitted no later than March 1, 2006
All materials should be sent to:
Becky Cournia
PO Box 9025
Grand Forks, ND 58202
beckycournia@mail.und.edu

The UND College of Nursing offers undergraduate and graduate programs, from a baccalaureate nursing program that is fully accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education to master's education with six specializations and a doctoral program that prepares nurses for roles as researchers or faculty.

The Department of Nutrition and Dietetics prepares students for roles in community nutrition or dietetics and is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education of the American Dietetic Association.

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November 15, 2005: North Dakota Nurses’ Association Names Honorees

The University of North Dakota College of Nursing is thrilled to announce that three of its alumni were presented regional and state awards from the North Dakota Nurses’ Association (NDNA). The awards were presented at the District 3 annual banquet in September and at the NDNA annual meeting in October.

Joe Myers, ’78, is currently employed by Altru Health System in Grand Forks; Cecilia Volden, ’63, is a professor at the UND College of Nursing; Dr. Julie Anderson, ’79, is an assistant professor at the UND College of Nursing and serves as president of the North Dakota District 3 nurses association.

Regional/District level:
Julie Jeske and Angela Cary - Media Award; Larry Burd – Friend of Nursing Award; Joe Myers, ‘78 – Outstanding Nurse of the Year Award; Cecilia Volden, ‘63 – Hall of Fame Award; Julie Anderson, ‘79 – Honorary Recognition Award

State level:
Anita Mattson – NDNA Excellence in Nursing Practice; Joe Myers, ‘78 – NDNA Nurse of the Year Award; Julie Anderson, ‘79 – Honorary Recognition Award; Senator Ralph Kilzer – NDNA Friend of Nursing Award; Julie Jeske and Angela Cary – NDNA Media Award; Sally Olsen – Hall of Fame Award

The UND College of Nursing offers undergraduate and graduate programs, from a baccalaureate nursing program that is fully accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education to master's education with six specializations and a doctoral program that prepares nurses for roles as researchers or faculty.

The Department of Nutrition and Dietetics prepares students for roles in community nutrition or dietetics and is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education of the American Dietetic Association.

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November 14, 2005: UND College of Nursing Professor Receives Highest Honor

The University Of North Dakota College Of Nursing is proud to announce that Dr. Loretta Heuer has been selected as a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing (AAN). Induction took place on November 12 at the AAN conference in Scottsdale, AZ.

Selection for the Academy is considered the most prestigious honor bestowed upon a professional nurse. North Dakota has only seen five representatives selected and Dr. Heuer was very happy to be added to the list. “When I received the award notice I couldn’t believe it, but I was ecstatic! Very few applicants are accepted on their first try.”

Dr. Heuer is currently an associate professor and Interim Chair in the Department of Practice & Role Development at the UND College of Nursing. In addition to her teaching duties, Dr. Heuer is the Chronic Disease Coordinator at Migrant Health Service, Inc. in Moorhead, MN.

Through the development and implementation of a tri-state demonstration project, Dr. Heuer was one of the first clinicians to recognize the value of data based decision-making in diabetes. This program, partially supported by a Rural Health Outreach Grant, has evolved so that it now serves a migrant population by assisting these workers to achieve optimal preventative care while controlling their diabetes. Results of this creative program have been disseminated in multiple journals and the program was the recipient of the Outstanding Rural Health Program award in 2003. According to Dr. Ginny Guido, UND College of Nursing associate dean, “It is because of Dr. Heuer’s vision and leadership that such a program exists in North Dakota and Minnesota.” Dr. Guido, also a member of the Academy, nominated Dr. Heuer.

The UND College of Nursing offers undergraduate and graduate programs, from a baccalaureate nursing program that is fully accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education to master's education with six specializations and a doctoral program that prepares nurses for roles as researchers or faculty.

The Department of Nutrition and Dietetics prepares students for roles in community nutrition or dietetics and is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education of the American Dietetic Association.

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September 8, 2005: Dr. Chandice Covington Named UND Dean Of Nursing

Chandice Covington, PhD, RN, has been named Dean of the College of Nursing at the University of North Dakota, following a national search, announced Dr. Greg Weisenstein, UND Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Covington has been professor of primary nursing care at the University of California Los Angeles since July 2001.

"Dr. Covington brings exceptional credentials and a strong experiential background to her new position as Dean of the College of Nursing. She is a distinguished scholar and researcher in her fields of study. Moreover, Dr. Covington brings a unique blend of successful experience as a teacher, researcher and service provider. We are very pleased that she has chosen the University of North Dakota over other institutions that were competing for her services," said Dr. Greg Weisenstein, UND Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. "I look forward to welcoming Dr. Covington to our campus community."

"The UND College of Nursing is poised to rise to be a top ranked program in nursing and nutrition-dietetics education. I am honored to become the dean of this fine and growing college," Covington said. "In these times of critical nursing and health professional shortages, the College of Nursing is charged with demands for building it's science through funded research, state-of-the-art teaching, and prioritized service to the community of Grand Forks, North Dakota, the nation, and the global village. I invite stakeholders in to meet me, and I am pleased to be a part of this thriving University community."

Covington spent most of her academic career at Wayne State, first as an assistant professor (1989) and then as an associate professor (1995-2001) and a professor (2001), and also served as Assistant Dean of Family, Community and Mental Health Nursing (1997-98) and as Associate Dean of Academic & Clinical Affairs (1998-2000). She has also taught at the University of Arkansas Medical Sciences College of Nursing, University of Texas at Dallas, University of Michigan, Northwestern State University, Stephen F. Austin State University, University of Texas at Galveston, and Lamar University.

In addition to being inducted into the American Academy of Nursing in 2004, Covington is the recipient of the Midwest Nursing Research Society Harriet Werley New Investigator Award, the Meritorious Research Service Award from the Friends of National Institute of Nursing Research, the Graduate Research Assistant/Faculty Award, the President's Recognition for Women Faculty Research, as well as many other awards.

Covington's program of research focuses on health promotion and the prevention of poor health outcomes in children, especially in vulnerable population in the US and in international settings. Ongoing studies, funded through federal and foundations, include breastfeeding promotion in at risk populations, alternative feeding technologies to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV via breast milk, school outcomes and prenatal substance exposures, genetic polymorphisms and child health in vulnerable populations.

Covington is a nationally certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner. She also has over 20 years of clinical experience in community-based primary care nursing and is nationally recognized for her expertise in this area.

The UND College of Nursing offers undergraduate and graduate programs, including a baccalaureate nursing program and an RN to BSN online program that are fully accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education as well as master's education with six specializations and a doctoral program that prepares nurses for roles as researchers, clinicians or faculty. The Department of Nutrition and Dietetics prepares students for roles in community nutrition or dietetics and is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education of the American Dietetic Association.

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September 12, 2005: UND College of Nursing Receives Funding for Behavioral Research Facility

The University of North Dakota College of Nursing has received $4 million in federal funding to construct and operate the Northern Plains Center for Behavioral Research.

The Center, built adjacent to the existing nursing building, will house an integrated program of behavioral and mental health research and research training in nursing, psychology and counseling that benefits vulnerable and underserved groups across the life span in the Dakotas, Minnesota, Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho.

"We're delighted to receive this funding and I congratulate the nursing faculty for their initiative in seeking it. I'm pleased that the building will support the behavioral science aspects of combating disease. This fits very nicely with the University's emphasis on wellness since some of the biggest obstacles to improving health care have to do with behavior -- life-style issues, nutrition, and bad habits such as smoking, lack of exercise, etc. This also fits nicely into the healthy North Dakota program, which is led by the State Health Department in cooperation with UND and other organizations," said UND President Charles Kupchella.

"I am extremely pleased that the NIH has funded a Behavioral Research Building for the College of Nursing. With the increased emphasis on research in the College of Nursing, and the advent of our doctoral program, additional space is needed to support the research activities of our faculty and students. Additionally, since this proposal is an interdisciplinary effort, more collaborative research will occur among faculty representing multiple disciplines. That is good because as the health problems facing our society become increasingly complex, it is important we investigate these issues from an interdisciplinary perspective," said Dr. Helen Melland, UND interim dean of nursing.

According to Dr. Glenda Lindseth, professor of nursing and principal investigator on the research building proposal, “everyone wants their work to make a difference. We feel that our research will help to provide a strong evidence-based education for students, as well as helping to improve the mental and physical health of our community.”

The Center will enhance current research and open up opportunities for future projects. It will also free up space for the RAIN Program at the College of Nursing. RAIN (Recruitment and Retention of American Indians into Nursing) will move into vacated space in the nursing building, allowing faculty and staff to offer additional service to students.

Behavioral research is conducted using human subjects and the new facility will be set up to work with real people, families and support groups. Areas of anticipated research include Alzheimer’s, chronic mental illness, nutrition studies, gambling, Parkinson’s, and diabetes, among others.

The UND College of Nursing offers undergraduate and graduate programs, including a baccalaureate nursing program and an RN to BSN online program that are fully accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education as well as master's education with six specializations and a doctoral program that prepares nurses for roles as researchers, clinicians or faculty.

The Department of Nutrition and Dietetics prepares students for roles in community nutrition or dietetics and is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education of the American Dietetic Association.

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June 17, 2005: Burness Wenberg Endowment Established

The Department of Nutrition & Dietetics is proud to announce the establishment of The Burness G. Wenberg Endowment. Donations to the endowment support priority needs of the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics within the College of Nursing at the University of North Dakota. Priority needs may include scholarships, faculty development, research, or other projects which will better academically and clinically prepare students desiring to become registered dietitians.

A native of Beach, N.D., Burness earned a bachelor’s degree in home economics from UND in 1949. She went on to become one of the foremost dietetic educators in the nation. She spent many years teaching dietetics and nutrition care to students and medical professionals, guiding many toward fulfilling careers.

Burness held positions at South Dakota State University, Ohio State University, University of Washington, and Michigan State University, Veterans Administration Hospital in Los Angeles, and the United States Army Research and Development Center in Maine.

If you would like to contribute to The Burness G. Wenberg Endowment, contact the UND Foundation at (800) 543-8764 or (701) 777-2611.

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May 19, 2005: UND College of Nursing To Recognize Dakota Medical Foundation

As a way to thank the Dakota Medical Foundation for its generosity the University of North Dakota College of Nursing is holding a reception, set for Wednesday, May 25, 3:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m. at the nursing building on the UND campus.

The Dakota Medical Foundation, in honor of UND President Emeritus Tom Clifford, presented a $9,711 grant to the College of Nursing. Funds have been used to purchase learning equipment for the student Learning Resource Center. The College of Nursing is excited about this new partnership; the new equipment will have a substantial impact on the learning and assessment skills of nursing students. All are invited to attend and thank the Dakota Medical Foundation for its continued support of the communities it serves.

The Dakota Medical Foundation, Fargo, ND, is dedicated to measurably improving health and access to health care services. Their mission is to promote community health improvement through various strategies. Particular emphasis is placed on projects that address the special needs of the community that encompass the traditional Dakota Medical Foundation service area.

The UND College of Nursing offers undergraduate and graduate programs, from a baccalaureate nursing program that is fully accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education to master's education with six specializations - Nurse Anesthesia, Family Nurse Practitioner, Clinical Specialist, Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing, Health Administration, and Nursing Education -- and a doctoral program that prepares nurses for roles as researchers or faculty. The Department of Nutrition and Dietetics prepares students for roles in community nutrition or dietetics and is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education of the American Dietetic Association.

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