Dear Graduate Students:

As we start this new academic quarter and 2021, I find myself in awe of this moment in time. So much to reflect on. Dr. Bowie shared her gratitude for being a nurse and part of a local public health solution to a global pandemic. I concur. When we think about the enormity of the problem and all the unknowns—to be part of the global effort to vaccinate every person, one-arm-at-a-time, is a gift.

I am writing to you on Monday, 1/4/2021 at 8:11 p.m. Today, I felt the thrill of mobilizing and acting. Let me back up a bit. Last week (I believe it was Thursday or Friday), the governor’s office reached out to CEOs of large health care systems around the state. The plea went out to immediately help mobilize a vaccinator workforce. On Saturday morning (1/2/21), I was speaking with Dr. Renee Rassilyer-Bomers (an SU BSN, MSN, and DNP alum!) about vaccinations for SU CON students, faculty, and staff. Dr. Rassilyer-Bomers works at Swedish and SU. She assured me we are on the vaccination radar—especially those students and faculty who are in clinicals. She then introduced the question “What would it take to launch a SU-based, Swedish-managed, community serving vaccination clinic?” By Sunday evening Father Sundborg, Provost Martin, and Mary Petersen (Vice President and University Counsel) all weighed in with a resounding “Let’s make it happen.” Swedish CEO, Guy Hudson, MD, immediately commissioned Swedish personnel to mobilize—and ‘we were all off to the races.’ This morning at 8 a.m. approximately 30 SU and Swedish administrators came together to hatch a plan. At noon time, led by Dr. Rassilyer-Bomers a group of 12 SU and Swedish folks assessed four SU buildings. By 7 p.m. a workflow plan was developed. At 8 a.m. tomorrow the team of 30 will reconvene, compare notes, and prepare for ‘go-live’—ideally by 1/12/2021!

We are watching population health in action. Thinking big and small all at once. If you wonder about the worth of your DNP—I invite you to examine all the opportunities for your population health, quality improvement, epidemiology, ethics for social justice, health care financing, critical inquiry, informatics, health policy, nursing, and advanced practice lens to help you become part of an equitable solution to the challenge of getting the COVID vaccine into the arm of EVERY person in our community, in our State, and across our globe.

To our APNI students, just prior to the break Dr. Bowie, your graduate faculty, and I worked on answering additional questions from the Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission (WA DOH) and CCNE (accreditors) about the proposed re-envisioning of the APNI program curriculum to an Accelerated Masters Entry (AME/APNI) program. Their last sets of questions really helped us gain clarity on how the curriculum for AME/APNI students not only meets the BSN Essentials, but also the MSN Essentials. Technically the quick answer is through inclusion of the new Population Health Role Synthesis Course, plus four doctoral level courses during pre-licensure studies (Population Health Theory, Epidemiology, Ethics for Social Justice, and Critical Inquiry I). Truthfully, it is so much more than that. We have come to appreciate how much the focus on population health and ethics for social justice provide a wide-angle lens through which you join the profession and set you apart as a very different entry-into-practice RN. Moreover, it has you, and your fellow RN entry DNPs, on a different launching pad as you continue doctoral studies to become an advanced practice nurse. I know you have put a lot of faith in us to make the entry-level MSN become real. We beg your continued patience. It has been a long ‘row to hoe.’ I am very hopeful we are getting closer to the end goal. It has been a lot of work—but worth it. Your precious future is worth it.

Through COVID, racial injustice awareness and marches, remote learning, political upheaval, virtual clinicals, forest fires and smoke-filled skies, delayed clinical placements, and restricted CPL use—we are still together in our commitment to prepare all of you as leaders who will transform health care for a just and humane world.

In solidarity and hope,

Dean Swanson

This holiday season has lacked the usual lights, plays, musicals and celebrations that many of us have enjoyed in past years. Like most of you, my Christmas was rather quiet and celebrated as safely as possible without the gathering of extended family. I will admit to feeling rather gloomy just prior to the winter break. However, after Christmas, I had the opportunity to volunteer through the King County Public Health Reserves Corps to administer some of the first Covid-19 vaccines to First Responders and Community Clinic staff. I cannot tell you how uplifting it was to observe our King County Public Health Department do what they do best – mobilize health care workers to address a public health crisis. The vaccination clinics have been well organized and have included volunteer RNs, ARNPs, EMS folks and others from across the county, including our own Dr. Diane Switzer. Health care professionals working cheerfully and tirelessly to get the work done – it is what I love about my chosen profession.

I know many of you have been working on the front lines, providing care to Covid-19 patients in your place of work or though clinical rotations. I want you to know how proud I am of each of you - students, faculty, and alumni - who have stepped up during this very challenging time. And for those of you who have stayed home; thank you for being conscientious and decreasing the spread to others. Each person in our SU College of Nursing community has played an important role during this pandemic and I am grateful for each of you.

My volunteer experience has left me feeling optimistic about 2021. Watching health care professionals who previously did not know each other, come together to seamlessly work toward a common goal under the guidance of our public health system gives one renewed confidence. The distribution of vaccines will continue to improve and expand. The days are getting longer, and I can now see the light at the end.

I wish you all a blessed New Years and a healthy 2021.

Associate Dean Bowie

The CPL has had a great first quarter of the new academic year. The CPL team has worked with the College of Nursing, Public Safety, and Nursing Commission to do everything possible for the safety of students, staff, and faculty. Over the course of the fall quarter, we welcomed 2,600 student, faculty, and staff visits to the CPL. To date, we have no known Covid-19 transmission linked to the CPL. We are pretty proud of that! We have learned a great deal and using what we have learned to prepare for the upcoming winter quarter. The CPL is ready for the winter quarter and excited to be hosting both lab and simulation activities. All the operations in the CPL are reflective of policies and procedures that have been vetted through external entities and responsive to ongoing CDC recommendations.

If you have a lab or scheduled activity in the CPL this quarter, we are delighted to see you. Please make sure to review all policies and procedures of what will be expected. We are anticipating being open on the first day of classes for the winter quarter and expect all students to adhere to SU policies regarding testing and safe practices. The CPL team is also continuing to support virtual simulation activities and working closely with both faculty and students to optimize virtual simulation learning.

We are honored to be part of your education and wish you a lovely and restful holiday season.

~The CPL Team

"It is astounding how well organized, succinct, humble, and passionate she was about teaching this course. It is even more astonishing how she managed to do this so well with our current online learning model."

"Our future in medicine has been enhanced...It is quite clear that she has spent many hours in preparing for this course, and then all of the thoughtfulness in our assignments, learning, and final examination were exactly what students needed to succeed not only in this course but in future practice..with graduation just around the corner, this course couldn't have occurred at a better time for our cohort."

"Patrick is one of the most genuinely kind and compassionate people + instructor I've ever met...He is truly passionate about both pharmacology and about teaching his students. Patrick is sweet, caring, compassionate, and so much more. All this is clearly demonstrated if you have just one encounter with him. He is always smiling and has a positive attitude that sets a positive tone on Zoom. It is obvious that he cares about us, our learning, and our well-being...Patrick is by far the best and my favorite instructor I've ever had. My only wish is that I could meet Patrick and have him as a lecturer in person. I cannot praise this man enough. Patrick rocks!!!

Monday, January 18th – Saturday, February 6th

Based on the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, Loved into Life is an extended retreat experience that invites students into a deeper relationship with God who loves, calls, and sends each of us to live with purpose and fullness of life. Guided, thematic reflections and one-on-one spiritual accompaniment by members of the Campus Ministry team will support participants as they integrate personal prayer, reflection, and life-giving practices into the daily rhythms and commitments of student life. This retreat is open to SU undergraduate and graduate students of all faith traditions and philosophical backgrounds who are interested in deepening their reflective experience through the Ignatian tradition. More information and registration on ConnectSU until January 13, 2021. Space is limited. Free to attend.

More Questions? Contact: Megan Kush at kushmegan@seattleu.edu