The DAISY Award for an Extraordinary Nursing Student is given to a student who exemplifies what it means to go above and beyond expectations. This semester, seven students were nominated for this award by faculty or by their peers.

Jake Cowan was nominated by a CoxHealth nurse:

Jake helped with a really difficult patient. Although the patient wasn’t the easiest to get along with, Jake made it a point to connect with him and be a friend (which this person didn’t have any). Jake even spent his lunch hour eating with the patient. Jake’s act of kindness stuck with the patient and he continued to talk about it the rest of the day. Today the patient went from being irritable and angry to having a smile on his face and laughing! Thanks to Jake for being a friend to our lonely patient.

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The DAISY Award for an Extraordinary Nursing Student is given to a student who exemplifies what it means to go above and beyond expectations. This semester, seven students were nominated for this award by faculty or by their peers.

Shaney Dowling was nominated by a faculty member and a CoxHealth nurse:

Shaney Dowling was participating in clinicals and joined the health care team to care for a 4-year-old.  The child and her family spoke only Spanish as this was their primary language.  Shaney learned the languages of Spanish and English together as a child, so was able to communicate with the child and family.  She assisted in translating for multiple physicians and staff members for seven of the eight hours she attended clinical. She assisted in patient care, attended and provided support through procedures, and provided education and explanation of specialist information to the patient’s family. The physicians and family expressed sincere appreciation for the care and service Shaney provided during the patient’s stay. A letter of Partnership accommodation was written by Dr. S. with a personal statement to this clinical professor of her positive impression of the quality Shaney’s character. The staff nurse caring for the child and family also completed a “Partners Spirit” card in her appreciation of Shaney’s assistance.

Shaney was very humble and commented that she did not feel she had done enough, but according to the family and the entire health care team caring for this family, she went above and beyond in her assistance to provide care in this case.  We are very proud of Shaney and know that she will continue to be a valuable asset to the profession of nursing.

Interestingly enough, one of Shaney’s peers assisted in the care of this patient and family earlier in the day and Shaney assumed the role when the peer finished clinical for the day.  What an amazing opportunity for these two students and they excelled in the challenge – we are very proud of both of them.

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The DAISY Award for an Extraordinary Nursing Student is given to a student who exemplifies what it means to go above and beyond expectations. This semester, seven students were nominated for this award by faculty or by their peers.

Tou Xiong was nominated by a faculty member: 

Tou Xiong is a BSN Accelerated student.  Tou was completing his community health clinical hours when this incident happened.  Tou is an excellent student, he is soft spoken, compassionate, and dedicated to learning as much as possible.  He is also very committed to his responsibilities as the story which follows indicates.  I received the e-mail which follows from a nurse on September 26, 2018.  (Tou drives each day from Seneca to class and clinical).

“Today Tou [and some classmates] came to Summit Intermediate to complete their community clinical hours by assisting my nurse and I with hearing screenings. While making the one-hour drive to Nixa from his home, Tou was involved in a head on collision on James River expressway. He miraculously only sustained some bruises and abrasions. Despite totaling his vehicle, he had his brother pick him up at the auto shop that towed his car (far north side of Springfield) and rather than returning home, Tou had his brother drive him to Summit Intermediate where he finished the day completing hearing screenings for the students. I am writing you so that you can ensure Tou receives due recognition for his commitment to his classmates, this program, and the students that received the hearing screening.”

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The DAISY Award for an Extraordinary Nursing Student is given to a student who exemplifies what it means to go above and beyond expectations. Seven students were nominated for this award by faculty or by their peers, and Eddy Elivo Jerez was this semester’s winner.

Eddy Elivo Jerez was nominated by a faculty member: 

Eddy was participating in clinical on the pediatric floor.  When making assignments, I noticed that there was a 4-year-old patient who spoke Spanish as her primary language.  The child’s father and uncle spoke some English, but the mother did not.  Overnight staff had been relying on the patient’s 8-year-old sister to serve as interpreter.

The patient had been admitted the evening before after the family witnessed seizure-like activity.  Obviously this is a very frightening event, and the parents were anxious.  The child was scheduled to have more diagnostic testing performed on the day that we were present on the floor, including an EEG and an MRI with sedation.

Eddy willingly took this child as his assignment for the day.  Thanks to his fluency in Spanish, he was able to communicate a large amount of information to the family that they may not have understood prior to his arrival.  You could see their relief as they were able to ask questions and get answers in a language they understood.  Eddy took the mother and sister to the family nutrition area and helped them pick out items for breakfast.  He stayed close to the patient’s room throughout the shift and helped them with anything they needed, no matter how small.

The patient was scheduled for a sedated MRI during the time that we would be at lunch.  Eddy took a brief break, and then accompanied the child and family to the MRI area where he interpreted for the physician providing the sedation (Dr. S.) as well as the MRI technologist.  Dr. S. later said that his assistance was invaluable in obtaining a quality MRI.  Another physician took Eddy into another patient’s room, where the mother primarily spoke Spanish, and utilized him to interpret information about the child’s diagnosis and treatment plan.

After the students were dismissed for the day, I saw Eddy in his patient’s room, saying good-bye.  I asked the uncle if Eddy had “done good.”  He replied that Eddy was not only going to be a great nurse, but he was going to be such a help to the Hispanic community who often did not understand what was happening in medical situations.

The staff RN and Dr. S. both completed “PARTNERS Spirit” cards to thank Eddy for his hard work with this family.

I was impressed with Eddy’s willingness to go above and beyond for this patient and her family.  He showed true compassion for their situation and did what he could to improve it.  This trait will make him a valuable asset to the nursing community.  We are so proud of him!

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2019 is here and many people are springing their New Year’s resolutions into action. As high as 80% of resolutions set at the beginning of the year will be abandoned by March. Use the following seven tips to help set realistic goal(s) and stick with them this year.

1. Pick a relevant goal to your priorities

Create a goal that is relevant to your individual priorities and motivates you. Success rates at achieving your goal are higher when you feel a sense of urgency whether the goal is related to your future career, traveling, or fitness related.

2. Use S.M.A.R.T goals

S.M.A.R.T. goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timely) are an excellent way to stay in line with reaching your goal. Example, “I will be able to run a 5k in under 30 minutes by May 15^th 2019.” Use the handout at the end of this article to help set a S.M.A.R.T resolution this year.

3. Create an action plan

Come up with a plan to turn thinking about your goals into pursuing your goals. Start with a general outline of what steps you would need to take to reach your goal. Then fill it in with specifics on a week to week basis. Also, make sure to leave a little wiggle room for when unexpected things pop up on your schedule.

4. Short-term goals as stepping stones

We have all heard the phrase, “Rome wasn’t built in a day.” It will take time to build up towards your goal. Start where you are currently and use short-term goals to help build you up over time. Example, “I will be able to complete six rounds of (1 minute run, 4 minutes walk) three times per week by the end of January 2019.”

5. Make the time

One of the most commonly used excuses to not exercise is, “I do not have the time.” This of course can apply to any goal that we are adding to our work load. Write out your weekly schedule, so you will be able to see dead spaces of time that you can utilize to reach your goal. Then, write it in your schedule and treat it with the same importance as any other appointment.

6. Tell people your goals

Whether you tell your friends or put a post on social media about your goal, telling people what you are striving to achieve will help you stick to your goals. Plus, by publicizing your goals, you may inspire someone else to set their own goals.

7. Accountability

Similar to tip #6, accountability is key to sticking with your goals. Whether you meet with a group, have a workout buddy, or frequently talk through things on the phone with a friend, your motivation will be boosted.

SMART GOALS

MAKE YOUR GOALS  S.M.A.R.T.

Specific – What exactly will you do?

Measurable – How much and how often will you do it?

Achievable – Can you achieve this goal?

Relevant – Is this goal relevant to you?

Timed – How long will you allow for this goal?

Example:  “I will eat one piece of fruit, instead of chips, for my evening snack Monday through Friday, for the next two weeks.”

The example goal is a SMART goal and a much better goal than this example:  “I am not going to snack on chips in the evening.”

STEPS TO REACH GOAL:

• buy a variety of fresh fruit
• leave chips at grocery store

SMART Goal #1                                                                                                                                                                                                           

SMART Goal #2                                                                                                                                                                                                           

SMART Goal #3                                                                                                                                                                                                           

IN ORDER TO BE SUCCESSFUL, HAVE GOALS AND MAKE THEM SMART!

Article by James Collins BA, ACSM CPT, RRCA Run Coach

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Story by Kyle DeVries 

Sara was at rock bottom. She was married, but didn’t anticipate the relationship lasting much longer. She had been unsuccessful in obtaining degrees from OTC and Drury University, had lost her confidence, and had little idea of what she wanted to do with her life. To make matters worse, she was struggling to put food on the table for her son.

It was time for a change. Sara moved back to Springfield, Missouri from Tennessee after her divorce. It was time to face these challenges head on. A nursing career sounded like a path to a better life, but she knew there were tremendous hurdles between her and that goal. At the minimum, she could expect two years of nursing classes before landing a job. She also had the echoes of her previous attempts to complete her education to contend with, and fears that this time might just be a repeat of the past.

Despite her misgivings, Sara decided to apply for the ASN program at Cox College, where she faced another blow—after failing the TEAS test twice, she was not allowed to continue in the ASN program. Down but not out, Sara decided to take a semester off, gather herself once more, then return to Cox College.

The impact of a good advisor should not be underestimated. Sara’s advisor proved to be a source of encouragement during a period where she was especially fragile. Through his support and guidance, she ended up taking general education courses at Cox College before applying to the BSN program.

Sara came to the BSN program with zero previous medical knowledge, which resulted in interesting experiences during clinicals. “I was in over my head,” she recalls. “I didn’t even know how to use a stethoscope.” After receiving one-on-one attention from instructors and nurses, who did everything they could to help her, including labeling buttons on patients’ beds, Sara’s confidence began to climb.

Once things started to fall into place in the classroom, Sara’s perspective altered. “I learned to think beyond the four walls of the patient’s room and think about the community at large,” she stated.

While completing a class assignment, Sara met a girl had been diagnosed with ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) on a city bus. This young woman could not afford a van to carry her wheelchair and did not want to be an inconvenience to her family. She told Sara that, as a nurse, it was her responsibility to step up for those in need in the community.

“Life was not about me anymore,” Sara said. “Life was about being there for my mom, my son, and my family. Nursing school brought me closer to what really matters.”

Sara’s relentless persistence to achieve her goal came to fruition in May of 2018 when she graduated with her BSN degree and already had a job lined up at Cox South on the new Jared Neuro-Orthopedic wing. This story is living proof that anything is possible. For those who hit bottom, there is nowhere to go but up. Sara still keeps her rejection letter from the ASN program just as a reminder of the awesome power of hope.

“All I wanted was a job to support myself and my son and I ended up gaining a better life and becoming a better person in the process,” Sara said. After feeling lost in large classes in traditional universities, Sara found refuge at Cox College.

“I know I would have not passed nursing school without Cox College. My professors would not let me fail. You only fail if you give up.”

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Rates of obesity and overweight prevalence in the U.S. have increased dramatically over the past 50 years. The CDC shows that obesity has increased from 30.5% to 39.6% in adults over 20 years of age from 2000 to 2016. This increase in obesity correlates with improvements in technology, increased availability of high calorie foods, and decreased activity levels in jobs.  Current research has shown that today’s work environment has switched to prolonged sitting periods due to increased use of computers and decreased use of paper-based work. Unfortunately, prolonged sitting and sedentary behavior is a risk factor for obesity, musculoskeletal disorders, type 2 diabetes, cardio-metabolic disease, some types of cancers, and premature death. Thankfully, there are actions one can take to combat sitting’s negative health consequences. Below is a list of four tips you can use to improve your health:

1. Implementing active breaks

By splitting up sitting with active breaks, you can reduce your health risk. A great rule to follow is the 30/60 rule. For every 30 minutes of sitting, do at least 60 seconds of activity. Activity examples include: chair squats, wall-pushups, high knees, a walking break, dynamic stretches, etc. Additional ways to increase work day activity include implementing walk meetings with co-workers, taking the stairs, and taking standing breaks at your desk if possible.

2. Implementing a step goal during the day

In conjunction with goal #1, implementing a step goal will give you a number to strive for on a daily basis and lead to increased daily activity. You can record your daily steps by either using a smart phone app, wrist technology, or another pedometer device. I recommend first tracking your normal routine then setting a reasonable 10-15 % increase for the next week.

3. Regular exercise

Combining consistent purposeful aerobic activity with the above two tips can help improve your health and will more directly improve your cardiovascular fitness. Current guidelines recommend 150-300 minutes of moderate intensity exercise per week, 75-150 minutes of vigorous intensity per week, or a combination of moderate and vigorous intensity exercise. I recommend starting with 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise per week if you are just beginning to exercise or you have not worked out in quite some time.

4. Improve your posture

Prolonged sitting can wreck your posture, create muscular imbalances, and cause pain in various muscles and joints. I recommend practicing good sitting posture, implementing stretches (especially for the hip flexor, external hip rotators, and anterior portion of the shoulder), and regular strengthening exercises (especially for the glutes, back, and core).

Article by James Collins BA, ACSM CPT, RRCA Run Coach 

For more information about implementing these tips or starting a fitness routine, you can visit the CoxHealth fitness center web page here.

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Cardio is a staple of any exercise program. Consistently exercising for 150-300 minutes of moderately intense or 75-150 minutes of vigorously intense exercise per week can greatly decrease your risk for a plethora of diseases and conditions, improve cognitive function, improve your endurance, and helps with weight management. So, how do you know if you are training at the right intensity level? I suggest using a combination of heart rate training and perceived exertion (effort level).

The Mayo Clinic recommends training at 50-70% of your maximum heart rate for moderate exercise and 70-85% of your maximum heart rate for vigorous exercise. To find an estimation of your maximum heart rate, use the equation 220 – age (i.e. 220 – 30 = 190). Then apply the percentages of the designated intensity level that you wish to pursue (i.e. 190 x 0.5 to 190 x 0.7 = 95 bpm to 133 bpm for moderately intense exercise).

Considering that the above equation is based just on age and not fitness level, I would test the results you get with an effort level scale. As shown in the table below, for moderate exercise use a range of 5-7/10 and for vigorous intense exercise use a range of 7-8.5/10. Slightly increase your heart rate range if the effort level is too easy or slightly decrease it if it feels too difficult.

Article by James Collins BA, ACSM CPT, RRCA Run Coach 

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For most, retirement is the professional’s end-goal, when life ceases being dictated by the clock. A time to travel, seek out new experiences, fulfill lifelong dreams, or enjoy family and friends. For Burge School of Nursing Graduate Linda Brown (Class of ’67) and her husband, Dr. David Brown, retirement was an opportunity to be of service to the less fortunate.

In 2010, the Browns and eight others from a local church grouped together to establish The Gathering Tree, a drop-in center, with the purpose of providing aid and support to the homeless in downtown Springfield. The idea was simple—provide free meals for people in need. They set up operations in a small shop, and before they knew it, they were feeding nearly 200 people nightly and space had become an issue. The Gathering Tree expanded to new locations, and with the help of community volunteers, were able to provide food, host activities, and develop relationships with the community homeless for five nights a week.

But the need wasn’t getting any better, and resources were finite. The Gathering Tree found itself without a home for a time before Rusty Worley and The Vineyard Church provided a solution and a place where people can take part in activities, enjoy computer access, and fill up on coffee.

Despite the remarkable strides made toward providing relief to the homeless community, the Browns remained focused on the dramatic need still present. They could lock up every night and go home, a luxury not afforded to the homeless men and women who had become their friends.

Thus, they created Eden Village—a community for the chronically disabled homeless, built on the foundation of compassion and love. A place for people who go to sleep each night not knowing where they will sleep tomorrow. A place of stability for those who have none. By providing a steady environment with housing, laundry facilities, on-site pantry, life-skill classes, a community center, and even recovery meetings, the residents were empowered to work toward the thing everyone wants—a better life. 

After researching similar neighborhoods in other cities, the Browns hired Nate Schlueter to help them make Eden Village a reality. Nate had worked on a similar project in Austin, Texas, so he had the experience in addition to the necessary skills to make the process easier.

Linda’s work as a part-time real estate agent provided her the perfect opportunity to look for potential locations for Eden Village. One day, she stumbled upon a vacant mobile home park with ample potential, and Eden Village had found its home. On November 1, 2018, they closed the Gathering Tree drop in center to direct all resources and efforts towards Eden Village.

Eden Village has been a success so far, with the aid and collaboration of local government, real estate companies, design teams, and charity foundations. No such undertaking is simple—through capital campaigns, grants, events, and donations. At the August 28, 2018 ribbon-cutting ceremony, Eden Village welcomed its first resident, Tom Yarberry (above) to his new home, and the next chapter of his life.

Today, 31 houses make up the Eden Village community. A greenhouse has also been donated to the property and will be accompanied by a memorial garden. This garden will be dedicated to the memory of eleven individuals who sadly passed last year on the streets, but during their time here, provided the Browns with friendship and inspiration to make Eden Village a reality.  

The micro homes are just one part of the overall need. Residents will need furnishings, among other basic everyday things, such as towels, silverware, and beds. The community response has been phenomenal, but there is no such thing as too much help. If you have a way to help or know an organization that could, please reach out to Eden Village or go to their website www.gatheringtree.org/eden-village for more information. 

Eden Village welcomes its first resident at the ribbon cutting ceremony on August 28, 2018.

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Calorie Management determines your body weight.  A calorie deficit will result in a weight loss.  Calorie abundance will result in a weight gain.  This is true regardless of the make up of the diet composition (if calories come from carbohydrate, protein, or fat).  A nutritionally poor diet may result in weight loss, just as a nutritionally perfect diet may result in weight gain.  Your weight is determined by the balancing of calories you require and the amount of calories you burn (metabolism, daily activity, and exercise).

Each year, as part of the aging process, you lose lean muscle mass.  Muscle burns calories, so with less muscle, your metabolism will be lower (you will require less calories).  This loss of lean muscle and aging process may result in weight gain of body fat. The only way to maintain or gain lean is to exercise.

For best results, both weight training and aerobic exercise is recommended.  Weight training helps build lean muscle and aerobic exercise helps maintain muscle and lose fat.

• Weight loss without exercise results in approximately 50% loss of lean muscle and 50% loss of body fat.
• Weight loss with exercise results in the majority loss from body fat.

• An extra pound of muscle burns 30-50 calories/day.

• The more muscle you have, the more you can eat to maintain weight because your metabolism is higher.

• An extra five pounds of muscle can burn an extra 250 calories per day. 

Nutrition and exercise are the cornerstones of weight management.

Article by James Collins, Cox Fitness Center 

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This spring, three compassionate students and nine inspirational faculty members were honored with nominations for the Cox College DAISY awards!

The nominated students were Cassandra Hayes (MSN-FNP) and Eddie Elivo Jerez (a former DAISY winner). Marcy Ibrahim won the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Students due to her compassionate care of a patient during clinical rounds this spring.

The nominated faculty were Coby Smith, Tracie Bishop, Helena Cox, Kathy Pittman, Cinnamon Jones, Zola Morris, Darla Stewart, and Amanda Comfort.

Kristen Williams won the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Faculty due to her inspirational influence with her students this spring.

Awards are presented to students each Fall and Spring and to faculty each Spring. You may nominate any nursing student or faculty member by sending an email to daisyaward@coxcollege.edu. Questions can be directed to the committee at acole11@coxcollege.edu.

Congratulations to all of the DAISY award winners and nominees!

Casandra Hayes

Eddie Elivo Jerez

Marcy Ibrahim (DAISY Award winner)

From the left: Coby Smith, Tracie Bishop, Helena Cox, Kathy Pittman

Cinnamon Jones

Kristen Williams (DAISY award winner)

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Jade Manczuk graduated from Cox College’s Dietetic Internship program in 2012. She currently works at Jordan Valley Community Health Center (JVCHC) as a Registered Dietitian and Diabetes Education Program Coordinator. JVCHC is a Federally Qualified Health Center that has locations in six Southwest Missouri communities with nine clinics offering medical, dental, behavioral health and optometry services. She is the only dietitian employed through JVCHC that covers all of those areas.

Jade’s job is unique in that no two days are exactly alike. She does anything and everything in regards to nutrition therapy in an outpatient one-on-one setting for a variety of chronic conditions. The most common conditions she sees are patients who suffer with Hypertension, Diabetes, Weight Management (under or overweight), and overall heart health issues. Her patients range in ages from infant to elderly.  She feels this helps keep her on her toes and she wouldn’t have it any other way.  As coordinator of JVCHC’s American Diabetes Association Recognized program,  she provide diabetes education in group and one-on-one sessions.  Jade also teaches a variety of education classes from pain management and nutrition to diabetes prevention. One of the best parts of her job is that for all established patients at Jordan Valley, her services are absolutely free of charge!  So, cost is not a barrier to JVCHC’s patients.

“I am thankful I made the decision to go into this field, as I get to do what I enjoy and love every single day.”

The post Alumni Spotlight: Jade Manczuk appeared first on Cox College.

After graduation, Matthew moved to Cape Girardeau, MO, for a short time before making his home in Middle Tennessee. In 2018, he began a new career with Medtronic, working with the Stealth Station Navigation and O-arm Advanced Imaging system. His training and instruction during his tenure at Cox College enabled him to take the leap from an operating room radiologic technologist to the role of clinical support healthcare vendor for Medtronic, a global leader in medical technology. He feels his education prepared him for opportunities he has been afforded. 

“Cox College didn’t just teach me how to succeed, it taught me how to teach others to succeed. That is the real gift Cox College gave to me. I am so honored to be called an alumni of such an outstanding organization.” 

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The DAISY Award for an Extraordinary Nursing Student is given to a student who exemplifies what it means to go above and beyond expectations. Seven students were nominated for this award by faculty or by their peers, and Eddy Elivo Jerez was this semester’s winner.

Eddy Elivo Jerez was nominated by a faculty member: 

Eddy was participating in clinical on the pediatric floor.  When making assignments, I noticed that there was a 4-year-old patient who spoke Spanish as her primary language.  The child’s father and uncle spoke some English, but the mother did not.  Overnight staff had been relying on the patient’s 8-year-old sister to serve as interpreter.

The patient had been admitted the evening before after the family witnessed seizure-like activity.  Obviously this is a very frightening event, and the parents were anxious.  The child was scheduled to have more diagnostic testing performed on the day that we were present on the floor, including an EEG and an MRI with sedation.

Eddy willingly took this child as his assignment for the day.  Thanks to his fluency in Spanish, he was able to communicate a large amount of information to the family that they may not have understood prior to his arrival.  You could see their relief as they were able to ask questions and get answers in a language they understood.  Eddy took the mother and sister to the family nutrition area and helped them pick out items for breakfast.  He stayed close to the patient’s room throughout the shift and helped them with anything they needed, no matter how small.

The patient was scheduled for a sedated MRI during the time that we would be at lunch.  Eddy took a brief break, and then accompanied the child and family to the MRI area where he interpreted for the physician providing the sedation (Dr. S.) as well as the MRI technologist.  Dr. S. later said that his assistance was invaluable in obtaining a quality MRI.  Another physician took Eddy into another patient’s room, where the mother primarily spoke Spanish, and utilized him to interpret information about the child’s diagnosis and treatment plan.

After the students were dismissed for the day, I saw Eddy in his patient’s room, saying good-bye.  I asked the uncle if Eddy had “done good.”  He replied that Eddy was not only going to be a great nurse, but he was going to be such a help to the Hispanic community who often did not understand what was happening in medical situations.

The staff RN and Dr. S. both completed “PARTNERS Spirit” cards to thank Eddy for his hard work with this family.

I was impressed with Eddy’s willingness to go above and beyond for this patient and her family.  He showed true compassion for their situation and did what he could to improve it.  This trait will make him a valuable asset to the nursing community.  We are so proud of him!

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In 1960, the class motto for the Burge Hospital School of Nursing was “Have pin will travel”. I have lived this motto throughout the course of the nearly 60 years I have spent in the nursing field. Nursing has taken me across the country more than once, both vocationally and as I completed my studies. I went from completing my Master’s at UCLA in Los Angeles to working in a hospital in Delaware, before landing in Baltimore, Maryland to help to establish a residential hospice program.

While that was in development, I worked in an acute care hospital as a part-time instructor at the University of Maryland, where I helped establish a walk-in health care program for the homeless. I changed positions within the college as programs were phased in and out and I completed my graduate studies and started my doctoral studies. I published several articles over that time, as well as multiple chapters in Community Health Nursing textbooks, and began writing for Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing textbooks. 

While I was completing my doctoral program, my husband retired, and I found work as an Associate Professor at Texas Tech University School of Nursing. I continued to teach community health nursing and nursing management and had my first experience with online courses. After my husband died, I accepted a position as an Associate Professor at the University of Nevada at Reno. During my doctoral studies, I began working with a colleague on the publication of a book based on phenomenological research, which went on to receive a national award. I eventually moved back to Baltimore with retirement on the horizon.

Seeking a part-time teaching position, I was hired as an Associate Professor at the Graduate and Professional Studies Nursing Program at Stevenson University, an online program. After a year, I was offered a full-time position. While my strength was community health nursing education, I was hired to teach Informatics, something I had to learn on-the-job. I spent ten years at Stevenson University, helping develop and coordinate programs before I retired a second time. But for me, retirement doesn’t take.

Today, I am an adjunct professor for Stevenson University Online, teaching two courses a semester. In 2018, I received the Outstanding Part-Time Faculty award. I love student interaction and learn something new almost every day. In the nearly 60 years of nursing, I have encountered many changes and embraced most of them while adapting to others. I have embraced lifelong learning. 

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Part one of this four part “Why I became a nurse” mini-series begins with Alisa Melugin.

“The reason I chose to go into nursing is because I am a proud cancer survivor. Being only six years old when I was diagnosed, I spent a lot of time in the hospital receiving treatment. I’ll never forget the nurses who cared for me, Martha and Susie, as they were kind, gentle, and cheered me up when I was scared. It is their impact on me that played a significant role in my decision to become a nurse. My desire is to care for my patients the same way that Martha and Suzy did for me.”

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Story by Kyle DeVries

In 2015, Kallie Campbell graduated from Cox College’s ASN program, ready and eager to enter workforce in constant need of dedicated, caring professionals. She spent the first couple of years serving the patients in the Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU) and Cardiac Arrest Unit at Cox South before ultimately moving to the Cardiovascular Catheterization Lab.

“Cox College provided me and many other students the chance to explore career possibilities we may not have thought of before,” said Kallie. “The faculty was really wonderful and made a big impression on students.”

No one ever said nursing school would be easy. Aside from the difficult workload, the time and dedication the program demands of its students can also be overwhelming. Students may forget the way time outside of school, as was the case with Kallie.

Once she completed her education, she found herself with more time on her hands than she’d had in a long while. But in the spirit of a true healthcare professional, Kallie decided this extra time would be best spent helping others. With that in mind, she began looking for volunteer work, and crossed paths with Rescue One.

Rescue One is a local organization dedicated to rescuing dogs who have been abandoned by their former owners or are currently housed in kill-shelters. The objective is to find these dogs a loving, permanent home—but this is no small task, and the facility itself has limited space.

This is where Kallie comes in, providing a temporary home for dogs who have yet to be found by their forever-family. Alongside her husband, Kyle, Kallie has fostered more than 100 dogs in two years. The duration of stay fluctuates—some dogs might be guests for a few days, others for several months, but all are welcome. So far, two of Kallie’s fosters have permanently joined the family, reaping the benefits of a loving home with an endless supply of playmates. At one point, Kallie’s home was the refuge of 19 dogs. A mother and her puppies were in need of emergency shelter, and Kallie welcomed them into her home, in addition to the seven dogs already under her care. “It was very temporary,” Kallie says. 

“And it was chaos. It probably won’t ever happen again.”

Kallie’s background in nursing made her a natural at caring for others—even if these patients came with four legs rather than two. One of Kallie’s charges was a three-pound puppy whose nose had been half-bitten off by another dog. The puppy’s nose became infected, and with her immune system compromised, she developed pneumonia and demodectic mange. Two nose reconstructions and many months of care later, the puppy found her forever home, where she thrives today.

“My favorite thing about fostering is placing dogs with awesome adopters,” said Kallie. “There is nothing better than helping a dog who has been let down by humans work through their issues, and then finding them an amazing home. Without foster homes, some of these dogs wouldn’t have had any chance in the world.” 

For Kallie, serving those in need is a vital part of who she is—both at work and at home. 

Check out Rescue One’s website and all of their current adoptable pets at RescueOneSpringfield.com. 

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Author’s note: My wife and I adopted Mira, one of Kallie’s fosters, in November of 2018 (pictured above). Rescue One was very thorough in its application process in making sure that we would be a good fit for Mira. We are thankful for Rescue One and for great people like Kallie who provide safe places for dogs.

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Jeff Clinkenbeard has written, produced, and directed a wide range of projects including:

• Springfield Missouri’s entry in the Simpson’s Movie Premiere Contest
• Ripple, starring Marcia Cross & Anthony Michael Hall, a short film which screened at the Sundance Film Festival
• Brotherly LoveS, the New York premiere production of Elysabeth Kleinhans’ Animated Theaterworks
• The Coils of Death, a full-length comedy billed as a “giant monster movie on stage” which was Los Angeles Magazine’s Pick of the Month
• A Baptist Boy Trapped In A Jewish Boys Body, his one-man show Backstage called “beautifully funny… perceptive… original and intelligently witty” and which won the Manhattan Association of Cabarets Award for Best New Performer
• SATO48 (Springfield And The Ozarks 48-Hour Film Challenge) now in its 15th season
• Clinkenbeard also helped write the television shows Cheers & Frasier

We hope to see you at our annual alumni dinner on Saturday, September 21st. This year, the event will be at White River Conference Room at Bass Pro. A social hour will begin at 6pm with dinner to follow at 7pm. This year’s event will feature a jazz ensemble from Evangel University, a photo booth with props, a presentation from Jeff Clinkenbeard, and plenty to eat and drink!

If you would like to attend this event, you can register by calling our front desk at 417-269-3401 or by clicking this link to register online: https://bit.ly/32Bdnw0

The post Alumni Dinner Speaker – Jeff Clinkenbeard appeared first on Cox College.

Cox College’s ambassadors are student leaders who provide mentorship, foster community enrichment, and help advance the goals of our organization. Ambassadors often assist with our alumni dinner, volunteer opportunities, commencement, and recruitment events. We can’t wait to introduce you to all of our ambassadors!

My name is Sarah Rinaldi, I’m a Springfield native, born and raised here. I’m currently pursuing a masters in nursing education from Cox College. I also received my BSN from Cox College and have a BS in Biology from MSU.

I am currently an ambassador for the MSN program at Cox College. I love interacting with new students and future students, filling them in on all the college has to offer.

Fun fact: I have a dog named Cartman!

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