Dean's Message (2016)

Dear Alumni and Friends,

We have had another outstanding year and are pleased to share with you some of the highlights. In this issue, you will find captivating stories about our outstanding accomplishments, as well as our plans for the future.

Focusing on the community as our classroom, we have partnered with Millennium Collaborative Care and Greater Buffalo United Ministries to participate in the national Million Hearts® initiative, leading interprofessional teams of students and launching our own goal of saving 1,000 hearts in Western New York.

Concern for the growing problem of opioid abuse among our citizens has turned national attention to the challenges of finding effective strategies to address this public health crisis. Dr. Yu-Ping Chang’s research sheds light on some of the innovative behavioral interventions being utilized to stem the tide of this public health concern.

Additionally, UB SON has joined other AACN schools in taking a pledge to educate advanced practice registered nursing students on the CDC Guidelines for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain. We have initiated a comprehensive opioid education program to better equip our students with the knowledge needed to advance prevention, treatment and recovery.

Beyond the local and national communities, our global initiatives deliver care to underserved populations in Belize and Appalachia and provide interprofessional experiences for UB nursing, dental and pharmacy students.

Lastly, our newest endeavor, generously supported by HRSA, focuses on partnering to educate FNPs for practice in Native American, underserved and rural settings. The SON and Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center will establish an innovative academic-clinical partnership to enhance primary care services for Tuscarora Indian Nation residents and Seneca Gaming Corporation employees.

We move into the coming academic year committed to our mission of developing nurse leaders who will impact health and wellness in our global society with a full complement of senior leadership as we welcome Drs. Cynthia Stuhlmiller, Yu-Ping Chang and Margaret Moss, who has published the nation’s first nursing textbook on American Indian health care needs. Additionally, we welcome Mr. Gary Mahon as associate dean for administrative services and our new Nurse Anesthetist program director, Dr. Kristine Faust.

As a member of the University at Buffalo School of Nursing community, I hope you find this issue of UBNursing magazine informative and take pride in knowing that you are a valuable part of our success.

Sincerely,

Marsha L. Lewis, PhD, RN, FAAN
Dean and Professor