That desire to help others drove her to first become a licensed practical nurse right after high school and later join the Air Force to become a flight nurse ā€” eventually achieving the rank of colonel. Now she is stretching her wings even further at Ā鶹Ō­““ā€™s College of Nursing to attain additional education so she can help expand a school in Haiti to teach advance nursing techniques.

ā€œNursing is the richest, most rewarding field that anyone could ever work in,ā€ says Schank. ā€œYou connect with people every day.ā€

Her lifelong commitment to serving others has resulted in an impactful list of selfless deeds ā€” so much so that she has been chronicled by CBS Newsā€™ 60 Minutes and Friday was recognized as a ā€œHistory Makerā€ by U.S. Rep. Darren Soto in Kissimmee.

Schank earned her bachelorā€™s degree at LaSalle University and her masterā€™s at Temple University, both in Philadelphia, where she moved back to after retiring from the military in 2014. She started classes at Ā鶹Ō­““ last fall, while also working as a nurse anesthetist at Osceola Regional Medical Center in Kissimmee.

The daughter of a navy chief petty officer, she served in the Air Force 24 years, often in war zones. During her final five years in the Air Force she was commander of the 514^th Aerospace Medicine Squadron at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, where she was responsible for the medical support of more than 2,600 personnel. Through the years serving domestically and around the world she gained extensive nursing experience as a clinical nurse specialist in critical care, a certified registered nurse anesthetist, and certified family nurse practitioner.

In addition, she has participated in numerous humanitarian medical missions, providing medical care to earthquake victims in Haiti, American embassy bombing victims in Tanzania, Africa, and underserved communities of Peru, Honduras, Haiti and elsewhere.

Volunteerism has always been a part of her life, she says.

ā€œAt the age of 14, I was a Red Cross volunteer working in an emergency room and today I continue to volunteer each year on mission trips,ā€ she says. ā€œMy next medical mission is June in Peru.ā€

Her new goal to help expand the school in Haiti led her to move to Orlando and attend Ā鶹Ō­““, she says, because the university is one of the few places that offers the three programs in one place that she sought: nurse practitioner, nurse educator and doctor of nursing practice.

The Haitian school already offers a bachelorā€™s in science for nursing, but Schank wants to help expand it by offering a program in masterā€™s-level nursing.

ā€œThe goal is to teach advance-practice nurses in Haiti, which is a country in such need of medical care,ā€ Schank says. ā€œThis impact would be more than just a mission trip.ā€

Schankā€™s outlook on nursing has been chronicled by CBS News correspondent Scott Pelley. She was the subject of one of Pelleyā€™s 60 Minutes stories and the focus of a chapter on ā€œSelflessnessā€™ā€™ in his book, Truths Worth Telling.

After Rick Brunson ā€™84, an associate instructor in the Nicholson School of Communication and Media, read the book last year, he had a chance encounter with Schank at a birthday party and asked her to speak about her career to his principles of journalism class in October. Through Schank, Brunson sought to also have Pelley address his class via Skype, but the correspondent did one better Ā­ā€” he visited the class while he was in Orlando for a speaking engagement.

ā€œPaulette saved countless lives of military servicemen and women, as well as civilians, as a field hospital surgical nurse during the Iraq war,ā€ Brunson says. ā€œPelleyā€™s [60 Minutes] story shows her giving blood from her own arm when the field hospital ran out of units and a soldier blown up by an IED came in and needed blood to survive. Thanks to her, he did.ā€

Schank said the discussion during class that night evolved into the importance of connecting with others.

To commemorate Womenā€™s History Month, Soto of Floridaā€™s 9^th District read a bio of Schank on the floor of Congress last week, and at 6 p.m. Friday she was honored during a ceremony in his office.

ā€œShe has dedicated her life to caring for others, be it in Florida or around the world,ā€ Soto says.

In her personal time, Schank says she likes to kayak and play piano. But never far from her thoughts is her goal for Haiti.

ā€œThereā€™s so many parts of that puzzle, but theyā€™ll all be fixed,ā€ she says. ā€œWhen you talk about things and share your dreams with others, someone is always there to help with a solution.ā€

The AGACNP cares for adult/gerontology patients with medically-complex, stable and unstable acute, critical, and chronic illnesses across care settings ranging from hospitals to sub-acute, ambulatory care, clinic, and home care environments. The AGACNP provides a spectrum of care from disease prevention to acute and critical care management. The curriculum provides a strong scientific foundation for practicing in the current health care environment, teaches flexibility, and focuses on evidence-based practice and leadership.

Upon graduation, students are qualified to sit for the required AGACNP board exam for national certification and state license to practice in the advanced practice role. Enrolling in the Doctor of Nursing Practice Post-Masterā€™s program is an option after completing this program.

The Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP) program will be initially offered this fall as a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program for nurses with a bachelor’s degreeĀ in nursing (BSN). The college will expand the program to add two additional tracks in 2017 ā€“ a graduate certificate track for nurses who already haveĀ a MSNĀ degree and a post-BSNĀ to a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree track.

All of the programā€™s tracks will include both online courses and classroom clinical courses at the Orlando campus, a format designed to support collaboration and interprofessional learning. Students will leave the program eligible for the AGACNP certification examination.

ā€œThere is a great need for more nurse practitioners certified to provide care for acute patients in our community and throughout the nation, and there has been increasing demand from our students for this type of program,ā€ said Susan Chase, associate dean for graduate affairs at the Ā鶹Ō­““ College of Nursing.

ā€œOur college is always listening and responsive to the needs of the community and our students, and this program is another example of that. This dynamic and engaging program will enhance the knowledge, skills and performance of advanced practice nurses to serve patients in a variety of acute and critically ill environments,ā€ Chase added.

AGACNPs provide a full spectrum of care, from diagnosis to management, for adult patients with medically complex acute, critical and chronic illness across care settings, including hospitals, ambulatory care and home care. AGACNPs order, perform, supervise and interpret laboratory, diagnostic and imaging studies. They also prescribe medication and durable medical equipment, and make appropriate referrals. The certification was created in part as a response to a critical shortage of medical residency programs in hospitals, and today is the third-largest specialty of nurse practitioners in the U.S.

Applications are being accepted now

Classes for the AGACNP MSN program will begin in Fall 2016. Prospective students may apply now. Applications for thisĀ inaugural cohortĀ are due June 1, 2016.

The college has also added a new graduate program in nursing and health care simulation.

In 2006, the CDC extended influenza vaccine recommendations to include children aged 2 to 4 years. However, Canada did not institute this recommendation until 2010, which allowed researchers to compare emergency room visits for influenza-like symptoms in Boston and Montreal before and after the U.S. recommendation change.

Study data recently published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal indicated that visits for influenza-like symptoms in this age group decreased by 34% after the recommendation change, reminding us that vaccination really works!

Here are some facts that might help you highlight the benefits of influenza vaccine and convince reluctant parents to have their child vaccinated this year:

Take some time to explain to parents the difference between influenza and other viral upper respiratory infections that they or their children may contract during the course of influenza season.

Many parents mistakenly believe that because their child got sick at some point after receiving the influenza vaccine that it did not work, or if the illness happened within a week or two of vaccine administration, that the vaccine caused the illness. Try to dispel these myths.

And remember to be a good example. Get your flu shot early. Tell your patients that you get vaccinated every year, you did not experience any side effects and you didn’t get influenza.

I know it is not easy to have these conversations with parents, but it is our job to be advocates for children’s health, and so we must try. Because of your efforts, a few more children and their extended families will have less risk for contracting influenza this season.

Do you have other good points to convince reluctant parents? Share them with us in the comments section below.

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Hoen AG et al. CMAJ. 2011;183: E1025-E1032.

Source: , , by Julee Waldrop, Clinical Advisor Waiting Room Blog. Orignally published: September 28, 2011

Dr. Julee Waldrop is an associate professor in the Ā鶹Ō­““ College of Nursing. She has over 20 years experience as a Nurse Practitioner and has been teaching students to become Nurse Practitioners for 17 years. She is currently the Coordinator of the Post-Master’s Doctor of Nursing Practice program at Ā鶹Ō­““ and provides health care to children at a local community health center.

Dr. Waldrop’s research interests include: pediatrics, particularly newborns and adolescents; promotion of safe and healthy newborns and the prevention of physiologic jaundice; and early prevention of obesity through infant self regulation and feeding cues. She has been on the editorial board for The Clinical Advisor since 1998 and blogs about pediatric topics.

Dr. Waldrop is a big believer in the power of physical activity, and training for triathalons is part of her daily life. Married for 37 years, she has two fabulous sons and a German shepherd. You can follow her tweets on Twitter.

Passed in July, the law prohibits health care providers from inquiring about the presence of firearms or ammunition in the home of a patient. Even if the patient/parent self-discloses this information, healthcare providers are not allowed to document it in the medical record unless it is ā€œrelevant to the patient’s medical care or safety or the safety of others.ā€

I personally believe that having firearms in a home with children is relevant to the health and safety of everyone in that home. I guess I should be grateful that there are certain circumstances that are considered an exception to the law. For instance, if pediatricians believe that a patient is potentially suicidal, they may still ask about access to weapons, including firearms that can be used to cause harm to self or others.

This practice is in line with the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Bright Futures Guidelines, which recommend asking about the presence of firearms in the homes of children through the late adolescent/young adult visit.

Whether or not you believe that guns kill people or people kill people, some sobering statistics remain:

I believe that if guns were not present in the first place, or parents were counseled about appropriate gun safety, many of these deaths could have been prevented.

Despite lobbying efforts from the AAP and many other organizations that support the best in child health, along with the general belief among members of the health care community that HB 155 could not logically be passed, it was.

HB 155 should serve as a cautionary tale for those of you who are still able to speak freely with your patients. Similar legislation has also been proposed in Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina and Alabama.

Joining your state nurses association or advanced practice council can help you stay informed of potential legislative actions that may impact your practice. Additionally, the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners is your advocate at local, state and national levels. These organizations usually employ lobbyists that will work on your behalf. HB 155 happened first in Florida. Don’t let legislation like this happen in your state, too.

Editor’s Note: On September 14, 2011, a federal district judge granted a preliminary injunction to block enforcement of HB 155, after the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians and the American College of Physicians challenged the law on the grounds that it violated First Amendment rights to free speech.

ā€œThe AAP is pleased the court recognized the confidential nature of the physician-patient relationship and the critical importance of this counseling, which is a cornerstone of pediatric care. Parents often do not realize how easily a child can access a gun that is not locked, and we too often hear about the tragic consequences,ā€ AAP President O. Marion Burton, MD, FAAP, said in a statement released following the ruling.

Source: , , by Julee Waldrop, Clinical Advisor Waiting Room Blog. Orignally published: September 14, 2011

Dr. Julee Waldrop is an associate professor in the Ā鶹Ō­““ College of Nursing. She has over 20 years experience as a Nurse Practitioner and has been teaching students to become Nurse Practitioners for 17 years. She is currently the Coordinator of the Post-Master’s Doctor of Nursing Practice program at Ā鶹Ō­““ and provides health care to children at a local community health center.

Dr. Waldrop’s research interests include: pediatrics, particularly newborns and adolescents; promotion of safe and healthy newborns and the prevention of physiologic jaundice; andĀ early prevention of obesity through infant self regulation and feeding cues. She has been on the editorial board for The Clinical Advisor since 1998 and blogs about pediatric topics.

Dr. Waldrop is a big believer in the power of physical activity, and training for triathalons is part of her daily life. Married for 37 years, she has two fabulous sons and a German shepherd. You can follow her tweets Ā on Twitter.

Dr. Deborah Chandler is an advanced registered nurse practitioner (ARNP) for Dr. P. Phillips Hospital Neurology Associates. She sees patients with various neurologic disorders, but primarily multiple sclerosis.

What has changed since earning your Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.) degree?

“It has given me more confidence in my ability to make a difference in our neurology center. Prior to obtaining my D.N.P. degree, I would have never thought about, or even considered, writing a grant. Ā鶹Ō­““’s D.N.P. program helped me realize that I could. As a result, I decided to write a $20,000 grant to fund a part-time social worker for our center. I’m proud to say it was funded by the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation. Ā鶹Ō­““’s D.N.P. program also helped me realize that writing for publication should be an integral component of my nursing practice.”

What does a D.N.P. degree mean to your patients and to your employer?

“My patients and my employer are getting a better ARNP, which (hopefully) equates to better patient outcomes. My employer was very supportive during the three years I was in school, and since graduating, has encouraged expansion of my role.”

What would you say to someone interested in advanced practice, but feels a little intimidated by the D.N.P.?

“Just take the first step. Attend the orientation, apply, interview and see what happens. I was thinking the same thing because of the time commitment involved, and because technology has changed the way people learn so much, I wasnā€™t sure I could adapt. I can honestly say that I barely blinked and the next thing I knew I was walking up to the podium to accept my diploma. You develop such a wonderful network of colleagues who become your support system during the program and your friends for life as well. The faculty is also very supportive, inspiring and very clinical, which is so reassuring to a clinical person. Iā€™m so glad I took the first step!”

Dr. Chandler graduated from Ā鶹Ō­““ with her Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.) degree in Summer 2010. Her doctoral thesis explored and compared ARNP and physician malpractice in states with and without controlled substance prescribing authority. She is one of nine students who made up the College of Nursing’s inaugurial class of post-master’s D.N.P. students.

Each doctorate degree option will be explained to prospective students in great detail. Nursing faculty and current doctoral students will be on hand to answer individual questions. Current doctoral students will also share what to expect.

Dates, Times, Locations:

Saturday, December 12, 2009

10 a.m. – 12 noon

Health & Public Affairs I, room 126

Ā鶹Ō­““’s main Orlando campus

Thursday, December 17, 2009

6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

Health & Public Affairs I, room 107

Ā鶹Ō­““’s main Orlando campus

Brief Program Overviews:

Doctor of Nursing Philosophy (PhD):

The nursing PhD doctoral program prepares nurse scholars to possess a body of knowledge about theory, processes and methods of inquiry in the discipline of nursing. Candidates can enter the nursing PhD program with a MSN degree in any specialty.

Post-Master’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP):

The post-master’s DNP doctoral program is designed to prepare nurse clinicians and nurse practitioners for leadership roles in specialized areas of advanced nursing practice. This program prepares nurses at the highest level of practice for the current health care environment. Candidates must have a MSN degree with specialization as a nurse practitioner or clinical nurse specialist.

Post-Baccalaureate Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP):

The post-baccalaureate DNP program allows nurses with a bachelor’s degree in nursing to enter directly into DNP study, preparing them for advanced practice as adult-gerontology nurse practitioners, family nurse practitioners or adult-gerontology clinical nurse specialists. Students earn a master’s degree while completing their DNP degree, allowing them to take required certification exams, become licensed as advanced practice nurses and begin working in the role as they complete their doctorate. The DNP follows a national trend toward clinical doctorates in other fields. More…

* The doctorate degreeĀ programs are offered “mixed-mode” or a combination of online and face-to-face instruction. A competitive GRE score is required for each doctoral program option.