NPHF/Procter & Gamble Endowed Scholarship in Gastroenterology 

 

2023-2024 Winner

Kimberly A Christen, MSN, RN NE-BC

Kimberly is currently in the Family Practice Nurse Practitioner program at Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa, Idaho. Kimberly has established an inflammatory bowel disease Center of Excellence for a Gastroenterology practice area. She researched the latest evidence-based guidelines,  developed protocols, and started a nurse navigator program that included quality outcome metrics. She will be developing social service resources, dietitian support and group visits.  In the future, as a nurse practitioner,  she plans on  continuing to provide evidence-based care as an FNP  for inflammatory bowel disease and chronic liver disease patients.

Exemplifying extraordinary leadership, as well as a dedication to high quality evidence-based care for Gastroenterology patients. Kimberly is well-deserving of the NPHF/Proctor & Gamble Gastroenterology Scholarship Award.

2022-2023 Winner

Photo of Jesse Christianson Jesse C. Christianson, RN, BSN is currently a DNP student at the University of Madison- Wisconsin, where his focus of study is to research and advocate for cannabinoid use as it pertains to gastroenterology. Based on his research, he determined that with the use of cannabis, for pre and post cancer therapy, it has been found that the patient has a better outcome of decreased nausea and vomiting. Cannabis therapy is also beneficial in opioid withdrawal treatment for the management of nausea and vomiting.

Jesse is currently an advocate to further research and legislation allowing medical cannabis use in his home state of Wisconsin.  His goal after receiving his Doctor of Nursing, is to advocate for the use of cannabis, to reduce the use of opiates and chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting (CINV). As well as, have a form of legalization or declassify cannabis as a schedule 1 narcotic.

“I believe that the use of cannabis is a new frontier which lacks adequate research into its use because of the schedule 1 classification. From what I have presented in the past year at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Nursing, is that not only is there more need for research, but what has been found has been beneficial for the people using this form of therapy.”

Exemplifying extraordinary NP leadership, outstanding academic achievements and excellence in caring for the Gastroenterology patient and barriers to access cannabinoid therapies and research in Gastroenterology,  Jesse is well-deserving of the NPHF/Proctor & Gamble Gastroenterology Scholarship Award.

2021-2022 Winner

headshot_Michelle Fero.jpg Michelle Fero, BSN, RN is currently studying to be a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) at University of Washington in Seattle, WA and is set to graduate in 2023. For her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project, Michelle is collaborating with the Harborview Medical Center Liver Clinic to develop and implement an educational tool for patients with end-stage liver disease. It will include easy-to-understand guides and strategies to improve patient and caregiver understanding of how to manage symptoms at home and reduce preventable emergency room visits. In her future practice she plans to specialize in gastroenterology, focusing on improving the quality of life for patients with chronic digestive diseases. “I see myself providing direct clinical care to adult and geriatric patients, including consultative and diagnostic services, as well as staying involved in quality improvement projects, public outreach, and policy development to expand access to underserved populations.”

Exemplifying extraordinary NP leadership, outstanding academic achievements and excellence in caring for the Gastroenterology patient and barriers to care in end-stage liver disease, Michelle is well-deserving of the NPHF/Proctor & Gamble Gastroenterology Scholarship Award.

 

2020-2021 Winner

Jordan E. Dudley, MSN, APRN, ACNP-BC

Jordan Headshot.jpeg

Jordan E. Dudley, MSN, APRN, ACNP-BC  is completing her DNP at the University of Texas at Arlington, College of Nursing and Health Innovation. She is currently a Gastroenterology Hospitalist Acute Care Nurse Practitioner at Texas Health Digestive Care. She will be leading a pilot study on improving inpatient elderly bowl preparation. increasing QI measures, patient satisfaction, diagnostic effectiveness of colonoscopies, and decreasing the length of hospital stays and complications from colonoscopies. She developed an illustrated and easy to read booklet Preparing for Your Colonoscopy: A Guide for In-patients Over 65.  After graduation she plans to focus her GI practice on the underserved in-patient elderly where she will target ineffective costly diagnostic procedures through inpatient education and improved communications.

Exemplifying extraordinary NP leadership, outstanding academic achievements and excellence in caring for the Gastroenterology patient,  Jordan is well-deserving of the NPHF/Proctor & Gamble Gastroenterology Scholarship Award.  

 

2019-2020 Winner

Julie Kewanyama, MSN, RN, CGRN

IMG_0820.jpg Julie Kewanyama is enrolled in the Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Program at the Orvis School of Nursing at the University of Nevada, Reno.  Julie's nursing background includes both gastroenterology and oncology.  She currently works as the Quality Management Manager for Gastroenterology Consultants in northern Nevada where she is repsonsible for overseeing the regulatory requirements for three endoscopy centers and clinics.  Working there in leadership and administrative nursing roles for ten years, she has seen the overwhelming patient demand for access to gastroenterology services in this rural area of the state.  She also understands the importance of access to gastroenterology care on a personal level, having been diagnosed and successfully treated for a pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor twelve years ago.  

Julie's future plans involve working in the gastroenterology practice as a nurse practitioner to help ensure patient access to quality gastroenterology care.  Although she is looking forward to caring for all adult patients in her community, early detection of gastroenterology cancers remains her passion as she transitions into her new role.