Newsletter

Funding for new SONHP building approved

Accomplishments and awards

• Amy Krazl
• Dr. Candace Alvey
• Dr. Tonia Mailow
• Dr. Sherri Powers
• Dr. Kristin Reid, Dr. Nancy Armstrong and Dr. Dana Todd
• Dr. Lauren Roberson
• Dr. Dana Todd, Mrs. Lori Ballard, Dr. Jessica Naber and Dr. Nancy Armstrong
  

Mark your calendar

• Commencement
• KNA offers mandatory continuing education modules
• Nursing recognition ceremony
• Occupational therapy pinning and hooding ceremony
• Student appreciation week

Programs

• New DNP program director announced
• Respiratory therapy program open for fall admission

While you were away

• Managing stress

Murray State University and the School of Nursing and Health Professions (SONHP) recently received some very exciting news. The Kentucky General Assembly decided that Murray State University will receive $45.5 million for the construction of a new School of Nursing and Health Professions building. The legislative session ended April 15.

“We are extremely thankful for the advocacy of Murray State University leadership and the support of the Kentucky General Assembly,” said Dr. Dina Byers, dean of the SONHP. “This capital project will benefit our academic programs, students, faculty and staff. I would like to thank the Murray State administration and leadership team for their support. President Jackson, Mr. Jordan Smith, Provost Todd, vice president Dudley, Mr. Youngblood, the Murray State Board of Regents, as well as many others, put in a lot of hard work to support the approval of this project. We are all very excited about this opportunity and look forward to starting the building process.”

The location for the new building is unknown at this time. Those interested in naming opportunities can reach out to the Murray State Office of Development at msu.giving@murraystate.edu, 270.809.3001 or 877.282.0033.

The School of Nursing and Health Professions currently utilizes Mason Hall, portions of Oakley Applied Science Building North as well as several regional campus locations. Construction for Mason Hall was completed in 1967 and Oakley was completed in 1965.

Congratulations to senior nursing major, Amy Krazl on being named Murray State University’s Outstanding Senior Woman. Krazl received the award at the Senior Breakfast on April 27. Congratulations on this outstanding achievement!

“Murray State is a place where lives are changed for the better, of which mine is no exception,” said Krazl. “This University has molded me in ways that four years ago would have been unimaginable. I have been afforded knowledge, experiences, friends and mentors that will never be replaced. At the end of the day, Murray State isn’t about the red brick buildings, the T-room food, or the pretty campus magnolia trees. It’s about the dedicated, supportive, kindhearted individuals that are the life and breath of this University, allowing students like me to call this place home. Thank you Murray State, the finest place I know. Shoes up forever!”

Krazl was also named as a top 10 student leader in 2022. More information about Krazl and her accomplishments while at Murray State can be found here.

Pictured left to right are Dr. Robert L Jackson, Murray State University president; Amy Krazl, 2022 Outstanding Senior Woman; Dr. Tonia Mailow, nursing faculty; and Dr. Don Robertson, VP of student affairs at the Senior Breakfast.

Congratulations to Dr. Candace Alvey on receiving the Murray State University Board of Regents Teaching Excellence Award. Dr. Alvey was recognized for this outstanding accomplishment at the faculty recognition banquet on April 27.

The Board of Regents Teaching Excellence Awards were instituted as an annual effort by the Murray State Board of Regents to honor faculty members who, in the judgment of peers, deserve recognition as exemplary teachers. More information about the award can be found here.

Pictured below, left to right, are regent Leon Owens, Murray State Board of Regents; Dr. Candace Alvey; and Dr. Robert L Jackson, Murray State president.

Congratulations to Dr. Tonia Mailow on receiving the Murray State University Board of Regents Teaching Excellence Award. Dr. Mailow received the award for 2020 and was recognized during the faculty awards banquet on April 27. Details about the award can be found in an earlier article.

Pictured right is Dr. Tonia Mailow.

Congratulations to Dr. Sherri Powers on receiving the 2022 Service Learning Mentor of the Year Award! The Service Learning Mentor of the Year Award is given annually to a faculty member who actively embraces service learning, an experiential learning pedagogy that encourages students to utilize the skills and knowledge of their discipline to meet a need in the community.

The Service Learning Advisory Board’s decision to award Dr. Powers was informed in part by the positive words that community members shared about her. As per the board’s letter: “a former student characterized Dr. Powers as a ‘firm believer in giving back to the community’ and as a faculty member who ‘encourages her students to become actively involved in community service’ which is evidenced in the 16 projects that students have developed and participated in under her mentorship. One such project included the sponsoring of a Community-Based Play Day at the newly developed Rotary Health Park. It was Dr. Powers's leadership and collaboration, according to [Mike Muscarella] the Executive Director of Ambulatory Services for Baptist Health Paducah, that allowed not only for students to transfer valuable knowledge, but for ‘children of all abilities to learn to play and their families to adapt to opportunities for enjoyable physical, sensory, mental, and proprioceptive play strategies.’”

Dr. Powers received the award during the faculty recognition banquet on April 27. More information about the award can be found here.

Pictured below, left to right, are Dr. Sherri Powers and Dr. Robert Pervine, assistant provost at the banquet.

Join us as we congratulate Dr. Kristin Reid, Dr. Nancy Armstrong and Dr. Dana Todd on their recent abstract acceptance. Dr. Reid will present their poster, “Exploration of Self Care Needs and Support for Newly Admitted Nursing Students in a BSN Program,” at the APNA 36th Annual Conference in Long Beach, California scheduled for Oct. 19-22.

Pictured left to right are Dr. Kristin Reid, Dr. Nancy Armstrong and Dr. Dana Todd.

Congratulations to Dr. Lauren Roberson on being named as a 2022 Outstanding Collegiate Researcher. Dr. Roberson received the award on April 27 at the faculty recognition banquet. A list of prior award recipients can be found here.

Pictured right is Dr. Lauren Roberson.

On April 27 during the faculty recognition banquet several School of Nursing and Health Professions faculty were recognized for their years of service. Congratulations to Dr. Nancy Armstrong for 10 years of service, Dr. Jessica Naber for 15 years of service, Mrs. Lori Ballard for 15 years of service (as of 2021) and Dr. Dana Todd for 20 years of service (as of 2021)! Thank you all for your hard work and dedication.

Pictured right is Mrs. Lori Ballard. Pictured below are several of the 15-year award recipients including Dr. Jessica Naber (second to last on right) and Dr. Robert L Jackson, Murray State president (far right) at the banquet. Dr. Nancy Armstrong and Dr. Dana Todd are pictured in an earlier article.

Murray State University is excited to recognize the academic achievements of our Fall/Winter 2021 graduates and our Spring/Summer 2022 centennial graduating classes at the Spring 2022 Commencement ceremony. Commencement activities will be held Saturday, May 14 at the CFSB Center. There will be a 9 am and a 1 pm ceremony. School of Nursing and Health Professions (SONHP) graduates will be attending the 9 am ceremony.

For the most recent information on commencement visit murraystate.edu/commencement. The ceremony will be streamed live the day of the event.

Pictured are fall 2019 and spring 2021 graduates.

The Kentucky Nurses Association (KNA) is offering two free continuing education modules free of cost for every nursing school (details to come). The fee is $5 per module for nurses. The modules include Implicit Bias (1.5 Contact Hours) and Prevention of Nurse Suicide (2.4 Contact Hours). These mandatory continuing education modules are needed for re-licensure in Kentucky by July 1, 2023. The curriculum is expected to be available starting May 1, 2022.

Modules can be accessed at kna.sclivelearningcenter.com/MVSite.

Implicit Bias in Healthcare

KBN #1-0001-12-22-121 | Contact Hours 1.5

At the end of this program, participants will be able to:

• Define and identify structural racism and its impact on the health providers;
• Recognize the history of racism in healthcare;
• Distinguish overt and covert racist attitudes including micro and macro aggressions;
• Define unconscious bias and implicit bias and tools to recognize and measure;
• Identify and explain the role implicit bias plays in the delivery of healthcare;
• Evaluate the personal role of health care providers to identify bias how it impacts the delivery of nursing care and patient outcomes and
• Describe strategies that will assist in reducing the influence of personal bias in healthcare delivery including introduction of concept in nursing curriculums.

Nurse Suicide Prevention

KBN #1-0001-12-22-122 | Contact Hours 2.4

At the end of this program, participants will be able to:

• Recognize how chronic toxic stress and secondary traumatic stress may increase nurse suicide incidence;
• Describe a confidential, standardized, and comprehensive pathway for nurses at risk for suicide;
• Identify systems of care, evidence-informed approaches, and best practices to reduce suicide rates;
• Underline and use ethical and legal considerations of caring for patients and nurses who are suicidal and
• Acquire and apply suicide prevention training.

Attendees must stay for duration of these programs to be awarded contact hours for continuing nursing education, provide license number upon registration and complete an evaluation for the program. Partial credit will not be awarded for any session. The Kentucky Nurses Association (KNA) reserves the right to cancel or alter the program if unanticipated circumstances necessitate changes. The Kentucky Nurses Association is an approved provider of continuing nursing education by the Kentucky Board of Nursing (KBN). The KBN approval of an individual nursing continuing education provider does not constitute endorsement.

Pictured is the program flyer.

Spring 2022 recognition, previously the pinning ceremony, for nursing students will take place on Friday, May 13 at 6 pm in the Curris Center ballroom on the third floor. This semester’s ceremony honors recent BSN, RN to BSN and DNP nursing graduates. Please join with us as we celebrate their accomplishments.

The nursing recognition ceremony has been in existence for over 50 years. Every nursing program in the U.S. has a unique pin for their graduating students. The Murray State University nursing pin is in the shape of the shield of Murray State. The colors on the pin are blue and gold, the colors of Murray State. In the center of the pin is a red cross signifying the health profession. On the pin are the words Hope, Endeavor and Achievement.

Pictured is a Murray State University nursing pin.

The pinning and hooding ceremony for the third cohort of occupational therapy graduates will be held at the Murray State Paducah campus on Thursday, May 12 at 1 pm. Please join with us as we celebrate their accomplishments.

Pictured is the occupational therapy pin.

On May 2 through May 5 the School of Nursing and Health Professions (SONHP) and Bridges to Success will host a student appreciation week. Join us for a wide variety of activities, snacks and entertainment as we gear up before final exams week.

Monday, May 2

• 7:30-9 am – We Donut know what We’d do Without You! – Donuts and juice
• 1 pm – Rest, Relax and Restore – Yoga in Mason Hall room 214, bring a mat!

Tuesday, May 3

• 11am-1 pm – Color Me Calm – Grab a marker and color away your stress
• 1-2:30pm – There’s no one Butter than You! – Enjoy popcorn and soda

Wednesday, May 4

• 11am-1pm – Keep Calm and Cuddle a Pet! – Pet therapy

Thursday, May 5

• 11am-1pm – Crafts for a Cause – make something special for nursing home patients
• 2-3:30pm – Here’s the Scoop, We Think You’re Awesome! – Build your own sundae
  

All listed activities will take place in the Mason Hall lobby except for yoga, which will be held in Mason Hall room 214. Special thanks to Terri Hernon, Dr. Jennifer Rogers and Dr. Summer Cross for organizing the activities. Additional activities and food will be available at the Paducah and Madisonville campuses.

Pictured below is the event flyer.

Congratulations to Dr. Kristin Reid on being appointed the new DNP program director in the School of Nursing and Health Professions. Dr. Reid will begin her new role on July 1. Dr. Katy Garth, the previous director, will serve as Dr. Reid’s mentor during 2022 and into 2023.

Congratulations Dr. Reid, and thank you Dr. Katy Garth for all of your years of service!

Pictured left to right are Dr. Kristin Reid and Dr. Katy Garth.

The registered respiratory therapist to bachelor’s degree in respiratory therapy program (RRT to BSRT) at Murray State University is now accepting applicants for the fall semester. The RRT to BSRT program is 100 percent online and is designed for working registered respiratory therapists who wish to enhance their professional knowledge. The program will help you improve your communication skills, learn more about research, management, patient assessment, management of cardiopulmonary diseases and more. You will also have the opportunity to earn additional certifications.

The Murray State University RRT to BSRT program is sponsored by the Madisonville Community College – Murray State University Consortium for Respiratory Education. The consortium offers you the opportunity to learn from faculty members who understand the rigors of completing an associate degree in respiratory therapy and can help you make an easy transition to a bachelor’s degree program.

Classes start fall 2022. More information about applying to the program can be found here, or by reaching out to the program director, Tina Siddon at 270.824.1748 or tsiddon@murraystate.edu.

Stress is a normal part of life. However it is important to learn to manage stress effectively, especially when it begins to interfere with your daily life or relationships. Several of our nursing students developed informational videos to promote mental wellness related to building resiliency, nutrition and mental health, and the benefits exercise has on mental health. You can view their videos here:

• Benefits of exercise on mental health
• Building resiliency
• Nutrition

On campus, the Psychological Center is located at 401 Well’s Hall, their phone number is 270.809.2504. University Counseling Services is located in 104 Oakley Applied Science, Suite C. They can also be reached at 270.809.6851 or msu.councelingcenter@murraystate.edu.

Our school offers many different health careers that offer you the opportunity to influence the well-being of individuals, families, and communities.

Website: http://www.murraystate.edu/sonhp
Location: 120 Mason Hall, Murray, KY 42071
Phone: 270-809-2193
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MSU-School-of-Nursing-Health-Professions-100228168258965
Twitter: @MsuSonhp