b'| ELITEHEALTH GUIDEFrontiers Nurse-Midwifery Program Offers Flexibility and Direction One professionals story of finding her pathBy Rob SeniorA fter graduating from nursing school in 1991, Julie Paul spent 13accompanying Doctor of Nursing Practice program via direct admission.years working in labor and delivery before deciding to returnThe distance education model allows students to pursue their to school for her Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) certification.degree(s) from their own communities, completing courses online while I got about three-quarters of the way (through the program), sheworking with practicing nurse-midwives during clinical experiences. recalled, before realizing it wasnt what I wanted to be doing.It was this model that allowed Julie Paul to complete the program in Her next attempt at finding her passion took her into midwifery, where2006, all while raising a family at home in New Hampshire. But after she entered the Frontier Nursing University curriculum that would marka move to Massachusetts, four years later Paul decided she wasnt fin-a turning point in her career. Able to transfer some of the credits fromished. I wanted to create a hospital position that would enable me to the FNP program, Paul graduated in early 2006 from what was, at thesupport my family, she said. So I decided to complete my DNP.time, known as Frontier School of Midwifery and Family Nursing.It was an important decision made easier by the accessibility of She was fifteen years past graduating nursing schoola point thatFrontiers online programs, which had Paul up and running quickly, some would consider at or approaching mid-career. But for Julie Paul,allowing her to get her DNP within 15 months. I worked in a triage DNP, CNM, PMHNP-BC, PMH-C, FACNM, it was just the beginningdepartment for four weeks, and I compared that to the regular care of of a brand-new journey that has featured Frontier Nursing UniversityOBGYNs and midwives, she recalled, explaining her doctoral research. at every turn.I found an increase in patient satisfaction, a decreased length of stayFrontier Nursing University is headquartered in Kentucky, but offersboth statistically significant.distance learning in nursing education to professionals pursuing aOnce her paper was published, her doctorate was completebut Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), or Master of Science in NursingJulies experience at Frontier was just beginning. In July 2011, I went to degrees in Nurse-Midwifery, as well as three separate Nurse Practitionerwork at Frontier as an instructor, she said. I started off working in their concentrations (family, womens health, psychiatric-mental health.) physical assessment course, and within nine months I was promoted to But it all started back in 1939 as the Frontier Nursing Service, whenbecome the course coordinator for their advanced antepartum course. the Frontier Graduate School of Midwifery was established, makingIts possible now for Julie to view her career in two distinct time peri-Frontier today the oldest continually operating nurse-midwifery edu- odspre-Frontier, and everything that came after her first foray into the cation program in the country. In 1970, the name was changed to theNurse-Midwifery program in 2004 that started her on her current track. Frontier School of Midwifery and Family Nursing when they openedTo that point, Id been at home with my kids, working part-time I just the nations first family nurse practitioner program. The school wouldneeded more, she explained. later become the first to offer distance learning in nurse-midwifery, andSo she headed into a five-day Frontier Bound program meant to in 2011 further evolved to become Frontier Nursing University (FNU)welcome new distance learning students in person. It was a very inti-to emphasize its now-numerous graduate-level programs. That samemate setting, Julie said. Everyone was so welcoming. They made me year, FNU was ranked No. 1 in the nation among graduate schools forfeel like the most important person in the world. It may sound strange, nurse-midwifery. with a distance education school, but I felt like I made more connections FNU offers a graduate Nurse-Midwife specialty program that applicantswith people at Frontier that I did within my local community.can pursue on a part-time or full-time basis while completing a Master ofInitially, Julie benefitted from the ability to proceed through the pro-Science in Nursing program. Upon completion of the Masters programgram at her own pace. There werent any structured terms, she recalled. ISTOCKor post-graduate certificate, students have the option to continue to theYou went in, did your coursework, and you could graduate when it was www.elitecme.com |2019| ELITEHEALTH GUIDE 7'