Newsletter

• Ragan Harris
• Jennifer Rogers
• Moses baskets

Alumni spotlight

• Kristy Schwetman

Faculty spotlight

• Dr. Angela Geraci

Mark your calendar

• Animal shelter fundraiser
• Applied Health Sciences graduation reception
  
• Bailey Holt Memorial Scholarship archery fundraiser
  
• Fall 2019 commencement
• Recognition ceremony

Student spotlight

• SONHP athletes

While you were away

• Murray Calloway County Hospital half marathon

Ragan Harris, a Murray State junior and exercise science major, had her primary research project accepted for presentation at the general session for the Office of Research and Creative Activity’s (ORCA) scholar’s week. Harris’ pilot study, “Student Perceptions of Academic Effort in Applied Science Courses,” analyzes the validity of students’ expectation of course work difficulty between biology and applied science programs, and the resulting academic frustration resulting from mismatched perceptions. The study indicated that course work difficulty between the programs is comparable, and mismatched perceptions of that difficulty can increase academic frustration.

Harris’ complete abstract can be found at: digitalcommons.murraystate.edu/scholarsweek/Fall2019/GeneralPosters/4/

Congratulations to Jenny Rogers, nursing instructor, for being selected to present at the Baptist Health Paducah 13th Annual Research conference. Her presentation was titled, “Implementation of an Objective Structured Clinical Exam (OSCE) to Assess Clinical Competence in a Rural BSN-DNP Program.”

Rogers also had her abstract titled, “Undergraduate Students as Standardized Patients in the Implementation of an Objective Structured Clinical Examination,” accepted to the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF) 46th annual conference. The conference will take place in Chicago, Illinois on April 22 to April 26.

Several Murray State University senior nursing students, Charlstyn Beard, Maria Grothaus, Abby Prins, and Kayla Hazlewood, completed a community assessment of Marshall County, Kentucky as part of a student project. Their assessment identified substance abuse as a leading cause of many community problems, including an increased need for foster care.

In response to their findings they started a project to raise awareness of the issues while also supporting a program known as The Moses Basket. The Moses Basket is an organization that provides foster children with care baskets they can take with them to their transitional homes. In total their project raised $500 and enough care items to assemble 25 care baskets. Items collected included clothing, school supplies, toys, hygiene items, luggage, books and other needed donation items.

It is estimated that substance abuse contributes to around 75 percent of all foster care placements. As of Aug. 2019 there were some 9,660 children in Kentucky foster care.

For more information about The Moses Basket, or to donate, visit themosesbasket.com/. Information on foster care placement and substance abuse was found at the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services website, chfs.ky.gov/News/Documents/nrenhancedtraining.pdf.

Pictured left to right are Charlstyn Beard, Maria Grothaus, Abby Prins, Kayla Hazlewood, Emmitt Hazlewood and their collected donations.

Kristy Schwetman, a 1993 Murray State University nursing graduate, visited NUR 408 students on Nov. 7 to speak to them about SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners) and the work they do at healthcare facilities. SANE nurses like Schwetman work with survivors of sexual assault performing exams, taking care of medical needs, and referring survivors to sexual violence and advocacy groups such as LOTUS.

Schwetman has worked as a sexual assault nurse examiner since 2001 and has received several awards related to her work in SANE nursing. She was previously honored in Frankfort, Kentucky at the 13th annual Sexual Assault Awareness & Prevention Month Awards in May, 2018. Schwetman is also a member of the Purchase Area Sexual Assault and Child Advocacy Center as well as the McCracken County Sexual Assault Response Team, and works with local hospitals in sexual assault nursing training.

She currently works at Mercy Health – Lourdes Hospital as a part time charge nurse. Schwetman started working at Lourdes 26 years ago as a cardiac step down nurse after graduating from Murray State. She then transferred to the emergency room in 1997, to the cardiac catheterization lab in 2005, and back to the ER in 2006.

When asked what advice she would give to nursing students Schwetman said, “Be dedicated, hardworking, and stay in tune with your nursing profession.”

Schwetman is married to her husband, Steve, a fellow Murray State graduate. Steve Schwetman works for WKYQ in Paducah, Kentucky.

More information about LOTUS can be found at: hopehealgrow.org/

Pictured right is Kristy Schwetman. Pictured below is Schwetman speaking to the NUR 408 class at Murray State.

Dr. Angela Geraci joined the Department of Applied Health Sciences in 2018 as an assistant professor where she teaches a variety of public health courses. She previously taught at the University of Minnesota Duluth. Dr. Geraci is also a certified health education specialist (CHES), and identifies as a qualitative/mixed methods style researcher.

When asked about her favorite areas of research Dr. Geraci responded, “My research interests are broad. I have worked with undergraduate and graduate students on topics including caregivers’ perceptions of childhood obesity, to nutrition and gastro-intestinal disorders and depression, to program evaluations about self-care and stress among military personnel. The majority of my personal research involves obesity, bariatric surgery, and psychosocial issues, as well as investigating assisted living facilities in the state of California.”

Dr. Geraci earned her PhD in human development with an emphasis in applied gerontology from North Dakota State University in 2015. She also holds a master of public health degree with an emphasis in mental health promotion from National University (2012), and a bachelor’s degree in speech-language and hearing sciences from San Diego State University (2010).

“I believe those seeking a degree in the public health field need to develop an altruistic nature in order to help individuals and communities. In order to truly affect change they will also need to broaden their focus and consider public health not only at a personal and local level, but at a state level, a policy level, and at a global level,” said Dr. Geraci. “I seek to create change by educating students in real world applications, and by helping them come up with research projects to broaden their focus.”

Dr. Geraci was born and raised in San Diego, California where her immediate family still lives, and is a third generation San Diegan. Her interests include pets, pop culture, reading, sleeping, TV watching, and viewing amusing memes on the Internet. She also enjoys working with others on their passions and identifies as a life-long learner.

The Baptist Health/Murray State University Program of Anesthesia will hold a donation drive for local animal shelters for CRNA week. The 21st annual Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA) week is Jan. 19-25. Donations for the drive will be collected in the preceding weeks.

“All donations can be brought in to the program’s classrooms or offices by Wednesday, Jan. 22,” said Dr. Darlena Jones, anesthesia program administrator. “We will meet with representatives from local shelters and present the donations to them, hopefully on that day.”

All nurse anesthesia students, faculty, and didactic and clinical instructors at all sites affiliated with the program are invited to collect items, although anyone interested in donating is welcome to participate. Items needed include canned and dry pet food, blankets, puppy pads, cat litter, pet toys, Dawn dish washing liquid (original blue only), bleach, paper towels, etc. Second and third year anesthesia students will complete against one another for the best gathered-goods total. The KyANA CRNA Facebook page will have additional information regarding collection challenges.

Those interested in donating can contact Dr. Darlena Jones at Darlena.Jones@bhsi.com, call 270-809-5268, or bring donations to the program’s offices until Jan. 22. The KyANA CRNA Facebook page can be accessed at facebook.com/KyAssociationNurseAnesthetists/.

Pictured are last year’s second (right) and third (bottom) year anesthesia students with their collected supplies.

The Applied Health Sciences graduation reception will be held Friday, Dec. 13 from 1 to 3 p.m. in the Oakley dining room located on the second floor of the Oakley Applied Science Building north. Graduates and family and friends of graduates are invited to attend. Refreshments will be offered during the reception.

Pictured are faculty and graduates from the spring 2019 graduation and award reception.

The Bailey Holt Memorial Scholarship archery tournament will be held Saturday, Dec. 21 at the Marshall County High School gym. Archery flights will begin at 8 a.m. The tournament is a collaborative effort by the Marshall County Archery teams, the Murray Tiger Archery teams and the Murray State University School of Nursing and Health Professions.

The Murray Tiger Archery teams have graciously agreed to purchase the awards to be given out at the tournament and the Marshall County Archery teams will donate the proceeds from the tournament to the Murray State University Bailey Holt Memorial Scholarship fund. This fund is very close to being endowed.

If you would like to volunteer at this event, please contact Dr. Dina Byers at dbyers@murraystate.edu or 270-809-6223.

The commencement ceremony for Murray State University fall 2019 graduates will be held on Saturday, Dec. 14 starting at 10 a.m. until approximately 12 p.m. at the CFSB Center. Guest seating will open 60 minutes prior to the ceremony. The event will be live streamed and can be accessed at murraystate.edu/Info/streaming.aspx at that time.

Additional information about commencement, including seating, parking, photographs, and degree applications, can be found at murraystate.edu/commencement/index.aspx.

Pictured are spring 2019 graduates during the afternoon ceremony.

Fall 2019 recognition, previously the pinning ceremony, for nursing students will take place on Friday, Dec. 13 in the Curris Center Ballroom at 6:00 p.m. This semester’s ceremony honors recent RN to BSN and BSN nursing graduates. Friends and family of the graduates are invited to attend as we celebrate their accomplishments. A reception with refreshments will follow the ceremony.

The 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 pin is in the shape of the shield and has a red cross in the middle.

Pictured right are nursing students at a previous recognition. Pictured below is a Murray State nursing pin.

Balancing academics, familial responsibilities, and extracurricular activities in college can be a challenge for even the most organized individuals. Today we’d like to recognize one group of students who go above and beyond in managing their time while representing Murray State University; student athletes. We asked several School of Nursing and Health Professions athletes for advice and tips on managing the stresses associated with their demanding schedules. This is what they shared.

“The biggest key to balancing a demanding college schedule is time management. Playing basketball while trying to make good grades is a full time job. When I get my basketball schedule for the week, I write down times when I can focus on academics. I know when my assignments are due, so I carve out two to three hours for one assignment, and when those hours are up, I move on to something else. I realize there are fun things to do on campus like going to see the hypnotist, the step show, and all campus sing. Don’t miss out on those things because you have homework, put them on your schedule too. Just make sure to prioritize your schedule and follow through with the times you have set aside,” Macey Turley, sophomore, basketball, exercise science.

“I suggest using a note system to keep track of your academic and extracurricular activities so life stressors don’t overwhelm you in college. I stay organized by making post-it notes every night to remind me what I need to accomplish the next day. I also make a list of the top priorities I need to accomplish for academics and for athletics on that day. In my personal experience planners don’t work, but it’s really all about trial and error to find out what works best for you,” Alec Whaley, senior, baseball, exercise science.

“The biggest challenge I face is balancing where I put my effort; it can be difficult putting 100 percent into both academics and sports. It’s important to be goal oriented and look at tasks in advance. I think about what I want to accomplish in the semester for academics and running, look at assignments in the order that they are due, and check off each task as I go. I also have teammates that understand the pressure of these day-to-day challenges, so it is important for me to rely on my friends as motivators and study partners. It’s also important to get to know your professors; develop a good relationship with them, and let them know what your schedule is like and if you will be missing any classes for competitions. The real trick is to not let yourself get overwhelmed with everything going on, and never be afraid to ask for help. When I do get overwhelmed I use running as a way to relax and release that stress. I also use my school work as a way to get away from the pressures of my sport,” Hilary McAdam, senior, track, exercise science.

Pictured left to right are Macey Turley, Alec Whaley, and Hilary McAdam.

Congrats to the Murray State University nursing student spirit team. They received the fifth place award, along with a $150 prize, in recognition of their support for the marathon runners. Team members manned the first aid and water stations and cheered on the runners during the Murray Calloway County Hospital half marathon on Saturday Oct. 26.

“Our team showed up at 6:30 in the morning in pouring down rain,” said Dr. Janice Thurmond, student affairs committee representative for nursing. “They really did a great job showing their enthusiasm and support for the runners.”

The nursing spirit team has decided to spend the $150 prize on a Keurig coffee maker for the student lounge in the Mason Hall basement.

Pictured right are Murray State nursing spirit team members handing out water to runners. Pictured below, from left to right, are Hannah Berry, Courtney Brown, Josephine Hubele, and Dr. Janice Thurmond. Amanda Bailey was also a member of the spirit team but was unavailable at the time of the photo.

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