UNMC for the record

From left, nursing students Meghan Caldwell, Megan Witcig, Ashli Glosser and Breanna Pekarek.

From left, nursing students Meghan Caldwell, Megan Witcig, Ashli Glosser and Breanna Pekarek.

Nursing students make complex information simpler with UCARE grant
The UNMC College of Nursing Lincoln Division received a grant from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Undergraduate Creative Activities and Research Experience (UCARE) program. It provided four, $2,400 stipends in the summer for students at the Lincoln Division. The students conducted research and presented their work at a summer research symposium at UNL.

“The students developed a total of nine E-Learning modules,” said Janet Nieveen, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Lincoln Division, who headed the project. “The modules are interactive, creative and engaging, which should help future students better understand challenging topics in pathophysiology and pharmacology. Students using the modules already are saying how useful they are.”

She said UNMC’s E-Learning Lab team helped students with resources, instruction and feedback to get the modules published on the E-Learning Gallery. The modules are being used in courses this fall and next spring and will be evaluated by students and by assessing outcomes.

Libby Mollard, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Lincoln Division, also assisted with the project. “These were exceptional students who went above and beyond over their summer break to enhance the learning of our nursing students,” she said. “Dr. Nieveen led the charge here, and I was lucky she included me on this project because I was able to see excellence from both a faculty member and dedicated students.”

The modules can be accessed here.

Orthopaedic Surgery Resident Research Forum a success

Eighteen orthopaedic surgery residents presented Sept. 28 at the annual Resident Research Forum in the Michael F. Sorrell Center for Health Science Education.

The forum helps residents plan and improve their research project throughout residency. During the forum, second- through fifth-year residents presented their research and received feedback from faculty members and guest speaker, Terry Light, M.D., professor of orthopaedic surgery at Loyola University Stretch School of Medicine.

Dr. Light’s clinical and research interests have focused on hand surgery, with a particular emphasis on children’s hand problems and medical education. He is an international speaker on hand surgery and author of more than 100 articles, book chapters and editorials on orthopaedic topics. Dr. Light presented on the topic: “Physeal Tethers of Growth in the Hand, Wrist and Forearm.”









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Lynne Buchanan, Ph.D.
Dr. Buchanan recognized as an ‘NP to Admire’ on national website
Lynne Buchanan, Ph.D., associate professor and director of the master’s degree program and co-director of the bachelor’s degree to doctor of nursing practice program, is featured in “NPs to Admire: 10 Role Models Improving the Lives of Vulnerable Populations,” on the nursepractionersschools.com website. For more information, click here.

Family Medicine welcomes four Nebraska Medicine providers to faculty
A new academic year brings four new faculty members to the Department of Family Medicine. Established Nebraska Medicine providers Jeffrey Akerson, M.D., Patrick Anderl, M.D., Chad Moes, M.D., and Brynn Lastovica, M.D., joined the UNMC Department of Family Medicine faculty in July.

  • Jeff Akerson, M.D., is a UNMC medical school graduate and completed the residency program at Lincoln Family Practice. Dr. Akerson provides primary care at the Bellevue Clinic.
  • Patrick Anderl, M.D., is a UNMC medical school graduate and a graduate of the UNMC Family Medicine Rural Training Track Residency program. Dr. Anderl practices at the Bellevue Clinic.
  • Chad Moes, M.D., a UNMC medical school graduate and UNMC Family Medicine Residency Program, serves the west Omaha community at the Village Pointe Clinic.
  • Brynn Lastovica, M.D., is a graduate of both the UNMC College of Medicine and UNMC Family Medicine Residency program. Dr. Lastovica provides care in Omaha at the Chalco Clinic.

“The UNMC Department of Family Medicine is proud to expand our diverse and knowledgeable faculty pool to assist in the training of more than 70 family medicine residents all while providing the extraordinary care to patients under the Nebraska Medicine umbrella,” said Michael Sitorius, M.D., chair of the UNMC Department of Family Medicine.

Dr. Weaver primary author on WHO guidance document
Meaghann Shaw Weaver, M.D., was a primary author on a World Health Organization guidance document on pediatric palliative care titled, “Integrating palliative care and symptom relief into paediatrics: A WHO guide for planners, implementers and managers.” A 2009 UNMC College of Medicine graduate, Dr. Weaver has a master’s in public health and is an assistant professor in the division of pediatric hematology/oncology at UNMC and division chief of pediatric palliative care at Children’s Hospital & Medical Center. This was a global initiative and is the first WHO pediatric palliative implementation standard. The document is available online.

Retirements announced
The UNMC Department of Human Resources has released a list of 19 retirements spanning the period between July 3 and Dec. 4. Six of the retirees have more than 30 years of service with four exceeding 40 years of service and one having more than 50 years. Two people in business and finance-facilities management and planning led the way, as Joe Pecha retired with more than 51 years of service and Terrence Vail retired after 49 years. Julie McKenzie-Svanda, College of Medicine Dean’s Office, was next with 44 years of service.

Here’s the complete list of retirements:

  • Joseph Pecha, business and finance – facilities management and planning, retired July 6 (start date May 29, 1967)
  • Terrence Vail, business and finance – facilities management and planning, retired July 3 (start date June 9, 1969)
  • Julie McKenzie-Svanda, College of Medicine Dean’s Office, retired July 3 (start date May 6, 1974)
  • Diane Landon, College of Allied Health Professions, student affairs, retired Sept. 15 (start date Feb. 16, 1981)
  • Debra Brumley, Munroe-Meyer Institute, patient information office, retired July 6 (start date Feb. 6, 1984)
  • Judy Carroll, Munroe-Meyer Institute, occupational therapy, retired Aug. 13 (start date Sept. 17, 1984)
  • Sandra Frank, College of Dentistry, Lincoln Clinic Administration, retired Sept. 28 (start date Aug. 20, 1990)
  • Catherine Talmadge, business and finance, FACT, retired Sept. 5 (start date Oct. 19, 1991)
  • Kathleen Petersen, College of Medicine, internal medicine/Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center Clinical Trials Office, retired Sept. 5 (start date Jan. 23)
  • Caren Barnes, College of Dentistry, dental administration, retired Sept. 1 (start date March 1, 1998)
  • Max Thacker, Information Technology, IT instructional technologies, will retire Dec. 4 (start date Dec. 13, 1999)
  • Mary Cramer, Ph.D., College of Nursing, professor, Omaha Division, retired Sept. 1 (start date Aug. 21, 2000)
  • Sonja Cox, College of Medicine Dean’s Office, retired July 20 (start date Sept. 25, 2000)
  • Joni Michel, business and finance, human resources, retired Aug. 25 (start date June 1, 2006)
  • Kathleen Baker, College of Dentistry, oral biology, retired Aug. 10 (start date Aug. 28, 2006)
  • Kathy Wulf, College of Nursing, Omaha Division, retired Sept. 1 (start date July 1, 2007)
  • Colleen Kennedy, College of Nursing, Northern Division (Norfolk), retired Sept. 1 (start date Aug. 13, 2012)
  • Michele O’Connor, College of Medicine, internal medicine – oncology/hematology, retired Sept. 1 (start date July 9, 2015)
  • Billy Nix, College of Dentistry, adult restorative, retired Aug. 21 (start date Jan. 7, 2016)