Frontier Nursing University (FNU) attended the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) National Conference held June 20-25 in Philadelphia. We were excited to see so many FNU students, alumni, faculty, preceptors and friends at this event.

The FNU Exhibit Hall Booth was popular!

At the booth we handed out superhero capes to anyone who is a current FNU preceptor or who signed up to be a preceptor, while any alumni preceptors received an additional gift of a bag or tumbler.  FNU students, graduates, preceptors, and faculty members had the opportunity to pin their location on a map in our booth to show our representation at AANP from across the U.S.  We had a Cape Fitting Station (photo booth) at the conference which stayed pretty busy as NPs had fun taking fun photos and posting to social media.  We showcased our psychiatric-mental health Post-Graduate Certificate and DNP programs and were able to talk to many people about these programs.

Alumni and Friends Breakfast Reception

Frontier Nursing University hosted our annual alumni reception as a breakfast event on Friday, June 23rd.  We had more than 60 in attendance.  During the event attendees enjoyed a buffet breakfast and heard updates from FNU Dean of Nursing Julie Marfell and Associate Director of Alumni Relations Angela Bailey.

Kitty Ernst Honors Nurse Practitioner with Purple Hat

The special guest for this event was our very own Kitty Ernst who also spoke to all nurse practitioners in attendance about the value of being a preceptor and the care that NPs provide.  As a big surprise for everyone in attendance, Kitty bestowed her honorary purple hat to FNU graduate, Kelly Thayer, CNM, FNP.  A longstanding tradition among midwives, the purple hat is a special honor as it is awarded to one midwife every year. This year marks the first year that a purple hat has also been awarded to a nurse practitioner.  We hope to continue this as an annual tradition among our FNU nurse practitioners.

Another special guest who we were honored to have attend our breakfast was Captain James LaVelle Dickens, DNP, RN, FNP-BC.  Captain James Dickens serves in the U.S. Department of Health and Human  Services Regional Office (HHS), Office of the Secretary, Region VI Dallas, TX as a Senior Public Health Advisor for the Office of Minority Health (OMH). He recently was the premiere speaker at the FNU 2017 Diversity Impact event.

PRIDE Student Ambassadors at AANP

FNU’s Diversity PRIDE Program hosted an essay contest and awarded two students with an expense covered trip to the AANP National Conference.  The two PRIDE student ambassadors were Rachel Lien and Stefanie Anderson.  They helped at the FNU booth and at the breakfast reception.  They also attended many sessions at the conference and enjoyed networking with NPs from across the country. Read details about their experience here. You can also hear more from these students in a video diary here.

FNU Honors and Presentations

Many faculty members, alumni and students should be recognized for their accomplishments at the AANP National Conference.  Congratulations to the following members of the FNU community!  We would especially like to recognize Dr. Vicki Stone-Gale for being inducted as an AANP Fellow.

Faculty Kudos

• Vicki Stone-Gale - inducted as AANP Fellow

Student Kudos

• Rachel Lien and Stefanie Anderson - PRIDE Ambassador AANP Essay Contest Winners

• AANP student volunteers selected from FNU included Heidi Bickford, Wesley Davenport, Margaret Galvez, Kathleen Henderson, Sarah Jenik, Rachel Lien, Erin Lyons, Apryl Moss, Nichole Nolan, Tina Olson, Brandy Robertson, Mandi Ruscher, Bethney Seifert, Angela Seigler, Rebekah Simmons, Regina Steele, Shelly Truhe, Deborah Young

Alumni Kudos

• FNU graduate Kathleen Schachman, Ph.D., FNP-BC, PCPNP-BC - inducted as AANP Fellow

• FNU graduate Cydne Marckmann along with Dr. John and Dr. Krabak - Poster Presentation:  Telemedicine, A Qualitative Initiative for Concussion Management: A Washington State Pilot.

• FNU graduate Diana Lamboy - poster presentation

• FNU graduate Dustin Spencer - poster presentation

Here are a few photos from the AANP reception and booth. If you would like to see more photos, please click HERE.