University of Kansas School of Nursing

KU School of Nursing proudly announces that the BSN Class of 2024 achieved a 98.4% first-time NCLEX pass rate! Congratulations to our students and our dedicated nursing faculty for their commitment to excellence in nursing education. Our nationally accredited BSN program continues to prepare our students for successful futures in the nursing profession.

Congratulations to Laura Klenke-Borgmann, Ph.D., RN, CHSE, clinical associate professor, on receiving the 2024 Foundation for Academic Nursing Faculty Scholars Grant from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). The AACN received 121 applications from faculty nationwide, with two scholarly efforts receiving $25,000 in support. Dr. Klenke-Borgmann, along with her team, George Tarwater, DNP, Megan Turner, MSN, CNEn, and Nate Mattson, MSN-NE, CNEcl, CPN, will use the funds for their project, "Utilizing a Scaffolded, Multi-Modal Simulation Approach for Transition to Practice." Learn more: https://bit.ly/4fZkdR5

Last month, KU School of Nursing faculty members participated in the 2024 Kansas HOSA Fall Leadership Conference. The event brought together over 870 Kansas high school students interested in pursuing a career in health care. Our faculty had the opportunity to present to and engage with the students, sharing key information about nursing and the nursing workforce: ?? Laura-Klenke Borgmann, Ph.D., RN, CHSE, clinical associate professor, lead a session that explored the important data nurses obtain about their patients by doing a physical assessment and taking vital signs. Then, students got hands-on demonstrations and practiced taking vital signs. ?? Terri Van Slyke, recruiter and pathways coordinator, facilitated a session on navigating adversity with "The R.I.S.E. Playbook: Rediscover your Why, Ignite your Passion, Strengthen your Support System, and Empower Others." ?? The Kansas Nursing Workforce Center facilitated a session to get student feedback about their perceptions of the nursing profession. "The students were open, very participatory and engaged,” said Barbara MacArthur, director of the Kansas Nursing Workforce Center. “Some shared family stories, as well as their personal experiences actively working in health care facilities. Many shared their hopes, aspirations and concerns related to academics or workplace dynamics.” ?? Photos by: Brett Lyerla, KU Med Area Health Education Center

A preliminary study led by Jamie Myers, Ph.D., FAAN, research associate professor at the University of Kansas School of Nursing, in collaboration with researchers from The University of Kansas Cancer Center, found that childhood trauma can increase a breast cancer survivor's risk of significant and long-lasting fatigue, depression, anxiety and cognitive decline. Adverse childhood experiences (ACES) have been linked to the onset of disease, including heart disease and cancer, for decades. However little research has been done looking at the longer-term effects of adverse childhood experiences in patients who have completed cancer treatment. Dr. Meyers and Lori Ranallo, MSN, APRN, a nurse practitioner at KU Cancer Center's Breast Cancer Survivorship Clinic, and the Masonic Cancer Alliance, set out to fill that research gap. “We wanted to find out if it was feasible to evaluate and assess ACES within the population Lori supports,” said Dr. Myers. "And we wanted to explore whether there was a relationship between having had these adverse childhood experiences and more significant anxiety, depression, fatigue, cognitive impairment and sleep disturbance.”

What started as four student nurses in a two-story building in 1906 has grown into one of the most respected programs in the country. This year, as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of KU School of Nursing, we retrace the rich history of our school over the last 120 years:

Ella Sics, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing student, joined the National Marrow Donation Program registry for extra credit as a college freshman. That one decision would impact her life and career path as a nursing student. After receiving a call that she was a match for a child with aplastic anemia, Ella traveled over 1,000 miles to a specialized hospital in Georgetown, Washington D.C., for the surgery. "This experience deepened my empathy and understanding of what patients go through, especially during anxiety-inducing procedures. It has possibly also sparked a personal interest in transplant and oncology nursing. Overall, it has made me a more compassionate and insightful nursing student," said Ella.

No tricks, just treats! ?? KU School of Nursing and University of Kansas School of Medicine students on our Salina campus celebrated Halloween by handing out candy during a downtown trick-or-treat event for the Salina community.

Jessica Gay, MSN, RNC-MNN, CNE, clinical assistant professor, sat down with the Nurse Educator Podcast to discuss the results of a research study on the efficacy of using metacognative exam review tools — also know as exam wrappers — as a nursing student success strategy. Tools of this kind have been shown to positively impact student learning, confidence and exam performance across multiple disciplines and levels of education, but little is known about the use of exam wrappers in nursing education. Listen to the full episode now:

?? Say hello to Shiya Bhakta, a fourth-year student from our Salina campus. We're excited to feature our student ambassadors this fall as they share their unique perspectives about KU School of Nursing. Hailing from Liberal, Kansas, Shiya had always dreamt of attending KU School of Nursing. "I love the close-knit community we have here in Salina. We often engage in fun activities together and have such accessible and supportive faculty," said Shiya. "What I love about the program is how it mixes classroom learning with real-life practice. It’s awesome to see what we learn in class play out in the hospital," said Shiya. "As I look ahead to my N4 year, I’m excited about exploring various specialties and discovering where I might want to focus my career on the future. Rock Chalk!"

Students in our nursing-midwifery program recently participated in birth simulation labs. The KU School of Nursing simulation lab — known as The Nest — allows students to hone their skills, apply critical thinking, demonstrate competence and strengthen decision-making. The skills learned and practiced in simulation help our students become effective certified nurse midwives in the future.