I am delighted to announce that Dr. Daniel Czech has accepted the position of Associate Dean in the College of Health Sciences. Dr. Czech comes from the Department of Health Sciences and Kinesiology at Georgia Southern University where he was a Professor and Honors Research Program Director for 18 years.

A native of Canton, Ohio, Daniel earned his Ph.D. in Performance Psychology at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He has published over 85 peer-reviewed manuscripts, 4 books, 7 books chapters, and has given over 100 peer-reviewed presentations around the world. Daniel was awarded the Researcher of the Year and First Year Professor of the Year awards at Georgia Southern University.

In 1996, Daniel signed a contract with Major League Baseball to be an envoy ambassador. For the past 25 years, Daniel has assisted in the development of sport and has conducted numerous performance psychology clinics in many different countries around the world. His research interests include examining positive psychology interventions, investigating multigenerational health and exercise motivation, and applying emotional intelligence in the workplace.

He has two older children (Tucker and Rivers), who are the light of his life. In his spare time, he enjoys weight training, reading, listening to music, world travel, and volunteering.

I can already foresee the great positive impact that Dr. Czech will have on the COHS through his enthusiasm, passion, experience, and unique skill set! He will join the COHS team on July 1st.

Welcome, Dr. Czech!!

Pictured below: Dr. Daniel R. Czech

As an alumna of Georgia College, Dr. Mandy Jarriel “walks the talk” in her passion for the value of leadership development in a Georgia College education. She received her BS in Athletic Training as well as her MEd. in Health Education and Promotion from Georgia College. After working for two years after graduate school at HealthMPowers in Atlanta, a nonprofit organization that promotes nutrition education and physical activity in schools, she returned to GC in 2006 while she concurrently completed her Ph.D. from the University of Georgia.

At Georgia College, Dr. Jarriel has served in both Program Director and Clinical Education Coordinator roles for the CAATE accredited athletic training program and has been awarded excellence in teaching at both the college and university levels. This past academic year she was appointed to serve in the role as the Assistant Director for the School of Health and Human Performance. Her leadership interests continue to expand as she completed a Women in Leadership Certificate through Cornell University this past spring and was accepted into the inaugural cohort of Georgia College's Women's Leadership Faculty Fellows Program in 2019. During the 2020/2021 academic year she was invited to serve as the program’s Faculty Associate and in the upcoming academic year will co-chair the leadership program.

Dr. Jarriel remains active at the professional level where she serves as a CAATE site reviewer and Athletic Training Education Journal reviewer. Her research agenda focuses on the use of standardized patients in athletic training education, interprofessional education in athletic training, and access to athletic training services for the recreational athlete.

Pictured below: Dr. Mandy Jarriel and Health & Human Performance Students

Dr. Greene currently serves as the Associate Director for the School of Nursing, Undergraduate Program, and is the Program Coordinator for the MSN Nurse Educator concentration. She received her Ph.D. in Nursing from Georgia State University, her MSN in Nursing Administration from Georgia College & State University, her BSN in Nursing from Georgia Southwestern College, and her ASN in Nursing from Macon State College in 1983.

Dr. Greene has many years of experience as an academic administrator. She holds certification as a nurse educator from the ANCC. Dr. Greene’s service to the profession includes serving in numerous roles for the Georgia Association for Nursing Education including most recently state president from 2011-2013. As a Registered Nurse, Dr. Greene has practiced in medical, rehabilitation, surgical, and ICU specialty areas. She served as the Assessment Coordinator for the Undergraduate Nursing Program at GCSU from 2012-2014. Dr. Greene currently teaches in the BSN, MSN, and DNP programs.

Dr. Greene is the driving force behind the undergraduate nursing program's success. Under her leadership, the program has consistently excelled. Our undergraduate program's NCLEX pass rate consistently surpasses that of state and national averages, and we currently hold the highest 4-year pass rate average in the state. Her areas of research interest include medication errors and nursing education.

She is currently completing research related to the implementation of the TeamSTEPPS© framework (Team Strategies and Tools to Enhance Performance and Patient Safety) throughout the baccalaureate program. TeamSTEPPS© focuses on specific skills supporting team performance principles, behavioral methods, human factors, and cultural change designed to improve quality and patient safety. Within this framework, teamwork concepts are introduced, including specific tools and strategies for improving communication and teamwork, reducing the chance of error, and providing safer patient care. This research has been supported by a faculty research grant. This grant has enabled the School of Nursing to train a number of faculty as TeamSTEPPS© instructors. This student training is a part of the comprehensive School of Nursing Affiliate Leadership Program, which stems from Dr. Greene’s collaboration with Dr. Harold Mock and the Office of Leadership Program. They partnered together to develop the proposal for the baccalaureate nursing program to be the first program at Georgia College to receive the Affiliate Program designation. The leadership activities begin once students enter the nursing program, the first semester of their junior year. Leadership activities progress through several courses in the nursing program. All BSN nursing students engage in this intensive leadership program. Across the four semesters of the nursing program, students will enroll in a series of four professional development seminar courses. She has published and presented both regionally and locally on these topics.

Pictured below: Dr. Debbie Greene

CCNE Board of Commissioners acted at its meeting on May 11-14, 2021, to grant accreditation to the baccalaureate degree program in nursing, master's degree program in nursing, the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program, and the post-graduate APRN certificate program at Georgia College & State University for 10 years, extending to June 30, 2031.

Congratulations to our exceptional faculty, staff, and administrative leaders in the School of Nursing and the College of Health Sciences!

Thank you for your continued commitment to advancing Georgia College!

Drs. Sandra Copeland and Sheryl Winn have accepted to present at the Doctors of Nursing Practice Conference in Chicago in August. Take a peek at their presentation below.

Translating DNP Policy into Practice: A QI Pilot Initiative in Academia

Sandra D. Copeland, RN, DNP, CNS-BC, FNP-BC

Sheryl Winn, RN, DNP, ANP

Objectives: Identify unique and innovative avenues to provide students transformative opportunities to learn and operationalize health policy concepts and translate them into clinical global practice.

Methodology: A pilot curriculum change by adding clinical hours to the DNP Health Care Policy course. This descriptive-analytical study was conducted on 15 students through convenience sampling. Data were collected by a valid reliable questionnaire, student course evaluations, and anecdotal commentaries analyzed by SRIS, anecdotal, and national benchmarking.

Results: 2016 course evaluations, 4.0 (3.6 adjusted) overall faculty, and course objectives improved post-intervention to 4.8 (4.2) and 2019 almost a full percentage point. A modified engagement and political voice pre and post-survey were used in the course to evaluate the clinical time added to the didactic template of the course. The student’s responses increased from 0 to 50-60% increase in political engagement. For example, “I contacted/visit public officials sometimes/never/always” was answered at 100% “never” on the pre-survey prior to clinical hours and 56.25% “sometimes” and 18.75% “always” after the clinical experience.

Discussion: A web browser search of 40 DNP programs, determined that except for a few programs, only 1-2 offer clinical hours with their policy course. This offering allows students to become active earlier, earn hours earlier in the program, and identify problems and background data such as social determinants prior to later in project development.

Conclusions: The findings indicate not only student and faculty success in the curriculum change but a trendsetting and benchmark for the DNP community. The 2019 DNP national conference on health policy anecdotal response was enthusiastic and online research on the topic shows the prospect to be innovative and groundbreaking.

SANE training grant paid for four Adolescent/Adult certification exams in the spring testing cycle, and we had a 100% pass rate! The national pass rate for this exam is 60%. We were a little late in getting started with this portion of our grant due to clinical practice requirements, but overall, we have an 88% pass rate.

As a reminder, this is part of the 3-year HRSA grant that we received in 2018. We train sexual assault nurse examiners, and after training and practice, they can sit for the international certification exam.

Dr. Crystal Champion, PT, DPT, CLT-ALM, Cert. DN has been selected as the College of Health Sciences Alumnus of the Year. This newly established award recognizes the accomplishments of an alum of the College of Health Sciences at Georgia College.

As an award recipient, Dr. Champion will also be nominated for the Georgia College Alumnus of the Year Award in June. Congratulations Dr. Champion!

Pictured below: Dr. Crystal Champion

Dr. Crystal Champion has over 14 years of experience as a physical therapist. She graduated from Georgia College & State University in 2004 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Health Education with a Concentration in Exercise Science. She obtained both a Master’s Degree and a Doctorate Degree in Physical Therapy from the Medical College of Georgia. She is also a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Dr. Champion is a Certified Lymphedema Therapist and currently specializes in cancer rehabilitation. She also holds a certification in Advanced Lymphedema Management and Dry Needling. Dr. Champion is the owner of her own private practice Eminence Physical Therapy, LLC, and is also the Executive Director and Founder of her non-profit organization Champions Can! Foundation for Cancer Wellness, Inc. The organization advocates for cancer survivorship for patients with all cancer diagnoses. Additionally, Dr. Champion serves as an Elevate Ambassador for the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship and serves on the GC3 Advocacy Council for the Georgia Center for Oncology Research & Education.

Travis J. Aultman has been selected as the College of Health Sciences Young Alumnus of the Year. This newly established award recognizes the accomplishments of an alum of Georgia College who has graduated within the last 5 years. As an award recipient, Travis will also be nominated for the Georgia College Young Alumnus of the Year Award in June. Congratulations Travis!

Pictured below: Travis Aultman

Travis is a 2020 graduate of Georgia College & State University. During his time at GCSU, Travis served as the president of the Georgia College Association of Nursing Students (GCANS), and as a delegate for GCANS in the National Student Nurses Association (NSNA) House of Delegates. Travis also attended the NSNA midyear conference in the Fall of 2019 where he and his faculty mentor Dr. Catherine Fowler presented research on disaster and terrorism nursing education curricula. Travis received Georgia College's School of Nursing's "Lamp of Leadership Award" during his pinning ceremony for his dedication to evidence-based practice, demonstrated service and leadership in the school of nursing and community.

Since graduation, Travis has been practicing as a registered nurse at UAB Hospital in Birmingham, Alabama. His current advocacy, research interests and residency project target improving patient satisfaction, safety, and outcomes by incorporating integrated behavioral health practices for the medical/surgical patient. He will begin his BSN-DNP program in the fall of 2021.

Celia was selected as the College of Health Sciences 2021 Outstanding Student. She is pictured above, receiving the COHS Outstanding Award medallion. She also was selected and awarded the School of Nursing's 2021 Outstanding BSN Major.

Congratulations Celia!

As a public health major, Emily Watson of Newnan, Georgia, has gained first-hand experience in the field. She recently interned with Delta Air Lines, doing research and evaluating pathogen risk in several areas.

“This career path really drew me in,” she said. “It amazed me how many career opportunities are available such as biostatistics, epidemiology, environmental health, community health, disaster management, and many more.”

During her internship, Watson’s research project was to evaluate Delta Air Lines’ pathogen risk in its travel ribbon—the essential stages of the overall travel experience including inspiration, planning, booking, purchase, pre-trip, departure, inflight, and post-trip—to provide the Global Clean Team with research and results that identifies threats of viruses, bacteria and other related illnesses that customers and employees are most vulnerable to. The team also evaluated the effectiveness of Delta’s cleaning protocols against those threats.

Read the Front Page story here.

Pictured below: Emily Watson

• The MSAT program recently welcomed 12 students during this summer for the 2021/2022 Academic Year.
  
• The second-year athletic training cohort will engage in an interprofessional education experience on 6/17 with nursing faculty, Dr. Warren, as well as our athletic training preceptors on IV administration. We are so thankful for our continued interprofessional collaborations!
  

Congratulations Spring 2020/2021 DNP & Graduate Students

Doctor of Nursing Practice

2020 Graduates

Nickelow Carlton, Linda Gay, Gerlana Vargas, Taccoa Harris, Shantee Henry, Kelly Inoue, Jechell Lary-Waller, David Reinhart, Marshall Smith, Sarah Smith, Roberta Sutton, Chandila Tutt, Tonja Walker, Talecia Warren, Carletta Weatherspoon

Doctor of Nursing Practice

2021 Graduates

Mary Angie Childre, Kimberly Griffin, Taylor Hall, Margaret Josiah, Tara Mosher, Becky Murck, Tanya Owens, Emoshoke Owie, Julene Smith, Esther Tella

Doctor of Nursing Practice

2022 Students for White Coat Ceremony

Amanda Caldwell, Julie Clark, Shannon Daly, Shuvory Greene, Tijuana Milton, Emily Nobles, Angela Roberts, Sophia Robinson-Harris, Christopher Rodriguez, Jennifer Sheldon

Check out the Facebook link to the DNP Hooding & White Coat Ceremony.

Pictured below: Students reciting the Nightingale Pledge

Congratulations Spring 2021 BSN Cohort!

Meredith Bailey, Jenae Ballingall, Annabel Beach, Katelyn Bennett, Alli Bivins, Sarah Boozer, Bailey Brannan, Hailey Brannan, Caroline Brittain, Madi Carangelo, Emily Carlock, Ashley Carr, Lindsey Cauley, Alysha Coates, Nick Davis, Emily Deason, Taylor Dykes, Olivia Eck, Coley Edwards, Connar Ellis, Kalyn Evans, Tristan Fields, Avery Freeman, Alyce Griffin, Brianna Griffin, Anna Houghton, Celia Imhoff, Jillian Jackson, Margeaux Kanwisher, Erin Kelly, Meredith Kelly, Karrie Kent, McKinley Langford, Jenna Little, Isabel Loyd, Lauren Lyles, Maddie Matthews, Sarah McGowan, Maddie Michael, Rachel Miller, Catherine Mitchell, Candler O’Neal, Abbie Ralston, Camille Renz, Riley Sproles, Josh Valbuena, Graysen Wells, Ashley Williamson, Kelsie Winters, Amanda Wright, McKenna Yearick

Check out the Facebook link to the BSN Pinning Ceremony.

Pictured below: Students reciting the Nightingale Pledge

Congratulations to all the School of Nursing Spring Graduates!

See the link below for the 2021 Celebration Presentation.

Congratulations to Health & Human Performance's Jorie Flores and family on the birth of Mateo Cruz Flores.

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