Kramer School of Nursing
News/Student Success

Dr. Diener Presents on Simulating Care
2/26/2010

Dr. Elizabeth Diener, Assistant Professor of Nursing, has been invited to present "Simulating Care: Technology-Mediated Learning in 21st Century Nursing Education" at the Oklahoma Association of Community Colleges Conference, on February 26, 2010, in Midwest City, OK.

KSN Research Team Publishes
1/30/2010

One of KSN's research teams, Dr. Marvel Williamson, Dr. Linda Cook, Prof. Denise Burton, and Dr. Lois Salmeron, has had its Phase 1 research, a qualitative study titled “Retaining Nursing Faculty beyond Retirement Age,” accepted for publication in the July 2010 issue of Nurse Educator, a peer-reviewed national professional nursing journal. Phase 2 involves a national study on factors related to decisions to remain in the nursing faculty workforce, a critically important strategy for helping to address the nursing faculty shortage.

Dr. Diener Has Proposal Accepted
12/28/2009

Dr. Elizabeth Diener, Assistant Professor, has had a proposal accepted to present a poster at the 31st Annual Conference for the International Association of Human Caring, Nursing Care Models, June 2-5, 2010, at Mayo Clinic on “Application of Jean Watson's Science of Caring Through Aesthetic.”

Lynn Korvick Named to Chair Position
12/20/2009

Dr. Lynda (Lynn) Korvick has been named to the position of Chair of the Traditional BSN Program at Kramer School of Nursing. Dr. Korvick is in her fifth year at KSN. Her BSN is from Ball State University. The focus of her clinical career was surgical and women’s health nursing. She graduated in 1997 at the top of her class from the University of Oklahoma Health Science Center with her MS(N). She held the position of Director of Nursing at Rose State College until 2002, then began a nursing consulting business and taught at Southern Nazarene University. Her PhD is from Oklahoma State University,

Staff Member Shares Musical Talents
12/12/2009

Metrotone, Christopher Black's jazz band, performed at OCU's Mom's Day on December 12, 2009. Mr. Black is KSN's Graduate and Continuing Education Specialist.

Nursing School Provides Thanksgiving Meals and Prepares for Mission Trip
11/26/2009

The Kramer School of Nursing collected food for families needing help on Thanksgiving.

Students, faculty and staff collected enough food to make five baskets. The school hosts annual food drives for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

The Kramer School of Nursing is also preparing for its medical mission trip to the Texas-Mexico border in the spring. The school plans to set up community health clinics.
Organizers are seeking volunteers with various skills to help with construction projects and other tasks. Oklahoma City University students can earn college credit on the trip. Students of all majors are welcome to help. The school is also collecting donations to assist with expenses.

The mission trip is coordinated through Volunteers in Mission, which is sponsored by the United Methodist Church.

For more information e-mail Debbie Barnett at dbarnett.stu@my.okcu.edu or Chris Black at cblack@okcu.edu.

Dr. Barnes Speaks on Panel
11/19/2009

Dr. Susan Barnes spoke on a panel of Priddy Fellows on “The Proof is in the Process: Modeling Assessment and Transformative Teaching in an Arts Integration Learning Community” at the Nov. 19-20, 2009, 29th International Lilly Conference on College Teaching held in Oxford, Ohio.

Staff Member Rescues Animals
11/18/2009

Sherri Christian, Specialist for the Traditional BSN Program, continues her volunteer work with the animal rescue group Best Friends of Pets. She has also completed training to be a lead person in outreach.

Professor Addresses Inductees
11/14/2009

Dr. Betty Gorrell, Associate Professor of Nursing, was the featured speaker at the Nov. 13, 2009, induction ceremony of the Beta Delta Chapter-at-Large of Sigma Theta Tau International, held on the campus of the Oklahoma University Health Sciences Center.

Scholarships Received
11/13/2009

Prof. Dia Campbell-Detrixhe has received the Graduate Student Scholarship from the Beta Delta Chapter-at-Large of Sigma Theta Tau International. Bachelor's-to-BSN student Nathan Silva received the Undergraduate Scholarship. Both awards were made at the Nov. 13, 2009, induction ceremony.

OCU Breaks Ground on New Nursing Building Addition
10/28/2009

On Oct. 28, 2009, the Ground Breaking Ceremony for the new addition to Kramer School of Nursing took place. Attended by hundreds of guests, donors, students, alumni, and university employees, the first step was taken toward completion of a 52,000 square foot building. This addition will quadruple the size of the current nursing school space. Completion is schedule for January 2011.

KSN Students Elected to be OSNA Officers
10/26/2009

The following Kramer School of Nursing students were elected to top Oklahoma Student Nurse Association offices at the annual convention in October 2009. Congratulations go to Stephen Baker – President, Ryan Ponce – First Vice President, Courtney Breckenridge –Second Vice President, and Derek Baden – Fund Raising Director. We are proud of our students!

Prof. Korvick Presents Webinar
10/21/2009

Prof. Lynn Korvick presented a webinar on Oct. 21, 2009, on “Clicking: How to Bring the Classroom to Life.”

Recent Master’s Degree Thesis and Project Defenses
10/20/2009

· Carrie McCoy, “Development of a Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Nursing Internship Program”

· Viktoriya Nareiko, “Providing Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Care for Patients with Limited English Proficiency”

· Steve Edwards, “Improving Stroke Care: Obtaining Stroke Center Certification”

· Angie Strickland, “Teen Perceptions of the Cost and Rewards of Teen Motherhood”

· Joni McSpadden, “Education of the Holistic Nurse”

· Qi Wang, “Issues Related to Working in the United States for the Foreign-Educated Nurses: Shortening the Distance”

KSN Faculty Receive Grant Award
10/20/2009

Dr. Linda Cook and Prof. Denise Burton have received KSN’s first research grant award from the OCU Faculty Scholarship Committee. For Phase II of the study on retention of aging faculty in the workforce, the award will help fund printing, mailing, and statistician assistance.

Faculty Speak at Convention
10/14/2009

Two KSN faculty spoke at the annual Oklahoma Student Nurse Association convention in Stillwater on October 14, 2009. Dr. Linda Cook presented “Working Under the Influence: The Impaired Professional” and “Top Ten Reasons to Go to Graduate School.” Prof. Dianna Bottoms spoke on “Lines, Rhythms, and Vents, Oh My! Surviving the Critical Care Unit.”

OCU Associate Dean Lends Health Expertise to Local Community
10/9/2009

Dr. Lois Salmeron, Associate Dean at OCU’s Kramer School of Nursing, has been busy with television interviews regarding the H1N1 vaccination. She appeared on KFOR evening news at 5 PM and 6 PM, KSBI-52 throughout the evening, and Telemundo Noticias at 5 PM and 10 PM. You can watch her live remote interview from the News 9 This Morning show online.

Alumni News
10/1/2009

ROTC Cadet Jade Hobza (’09 BSN) was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Army Nurse Corps at the OCU Commencement on May 9, 2009. She also received the Daughters of the American Revolution award for outstanding performance as an ROTC Cadet.

Zach Lorenz (BSN ’09) is the proud father of Lily-Anne Faith, born on May 27, 2009. She was 5 pounds 11 ounces and 19 inches long.

Leah Burpee (’06 BBSN) has been accepted to George Washington University’s Advanced Nurse Practitioner program.

Karla Martin, MS, RN (BSN ’86) is now the Chief Nurse Executive at North Texas Hospital in Denton, TX.

OCU Professors Present at Statewide Workshop
9/18/2009

Prof. DeAnne Parrott and Prof. Dianna Bottoms presented a statewide workshop for nurse educators on September 18, 2009, at Oklahoma City University on “Test Writing, Analysis, and Evaluation: How to Improve Classroom Testing.”

Certified Nurse Educators at KSN
8/11/2009

The list of nationally Certified Nurse Educators (CNE) at KSN now includes Hilda Crane-Smith, DeAnne Parrott, Lynn Korvick, Dr. Linda Cook, Dianna Bottoms, Dr. Lois Salmeron, Dr. Susan Barnes, and Dr. Marvel Williamson. This certification is managed by the National League for Nursing and has several experiential and degree requirements, as well as a rigorous test covering teaching and learning theory, statistical and quantitative analysis of teacher-made and standardized examinations, clinical and classroom instruction, higher education policy, scholarship of teaching, and much more.

Professors to Present at National Conference
7/28/2009

Prof. Denise Burton and Dr. Betty Gorrell have had a paper, “On the Road: Educational Mobility for Oklahoma’s Rural Nurses,” accepted for presentation at the Dec. 9-11, 2009, National Rural Health Association conference on Multiracial and Multicultural Health Conference, to be held in Memphis, TN.

Dean Elected to Head State Organization
7/16/2009

Dr. Marvel Williamson, Dean of Kramer School of Nursing, has been elected as Chair-Elect of the Board of Directors of the Institute for Oklahoma Nursing Education (IONE). IONE is the lead organization for nursing education in Oklahoma with the ultimate aim of promoting the health of Oklahomans and serves as a centralized source of information about Oklahoma nursing education and schools. Dr. Williamson will assume the position of Chair of the Board of Directors in July 2010.

Prof. Burton to Speak at State Conference
7/7/2009

Prof. Denise Burton, Chair of the RN-to-BSN Program and Associate Professor, has had a paper on rural nursing education selected for presentation at the 18th annual Rural Health Association of Oklahoma conference on Sept. 16-18, 2009.

Prof. Korvick Presents Paper
6/26/2009

Prof. Lynn Korvick presented a poster session at the Emerging Technologies Conference held in La Jolla, California, June 26-27, 2009.

RWJF Grant Received
6/6/2009

KSN was awarded another grant by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation for its "Moving and Mentoring Men into Nursing" project. This new grant for $150,000 will provide $10,000 to 15 men entering the Bachelor's-to-BSN class in January 2010.

Traineeship Grant Awarded
5/27/2009

Dr. Susan Barnes, KSN Chair of Master's Degree Programs, was awarded a $24,834 grant from HRSA for scholarships and stipends for MSN students.

Professor to Present in England
5/11/2009

Dr. Susan Barnes has had a paper accepted for presentation at the International Philosophy of Nursing Conference to be held at the University of the West of England, September 7-9, 2009.

OCU Professor Honored
5/1/2009

Prof. Dianna Bottoms was honored by the Beta Delta Chapter-at-Large of Sigma Theta Tau International as the 2009 Educator of the Year. She received this award at the April 2009 meeting.

Faculty Complete Academy
4/30/2009

The following KSN faculty recently completed the Faculty Teaching Academy of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning: Denise Burton, Lisa DeSpain, Betty Gorrell, and Linda Cook.

Inasmuch Foundation Grant received
4/29/2009

The Inasmuch Foundation has awarded $1,000,000 toward the construction of the new building addition to Kramer School of Nursing.

Educator of the Year
4/25/2009

Congratulations is extended to Prof. Dianna Bottoms who was honored by the Beta Delta Chapter-at-Large of Sigma Theta Tau International as the 2009 Educator of the Year. She received this award at the April 2009 meeting.

Staff Member Shares Musical Talent
4/13/2009

Christopher Black, Graduate and Continuing Education Specialist, performs regularly at various venues, including Stars 101, the Friends of Children Banquet held by the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy, and various local establishments.

Professor Presents Poster Session
4/11/2009

Prof. Lynn Korvick gave a poster presentation at the Emerging Technologies Conference held in La Jolla, California, June 26-27, 2009.

Dr. Cook Appointed to State Position
3/16/2009

Dr. Linda Cook, Associate Professor of Nursing, has been appointed to the Oklahoma Board of Nursing’s Advanced Practice Nursing (APN) Task Force that will review APN state regulations.

Professors Elected to Honor Society Positions
3/13/2009

Prof. Sara Manning, Prof. Lisa DeSpain, and Prof. Dianna Bottoms were elected to serve respectively as Chair of the Leadership Successsion Committee, as OCU Liaison Vice President, and as Treasurer of the Beta Delta Chapter-at Large of Sigma Theta Tau International, the honor society of nursing.

Research Partnership Presentation
3/11/2009

Dr. Susan Barnes and Prof. Dianna Bottoms had their research on success by new nursing graduates in their first positions, being conducted with St. Anthony Hospital, accepted for presentation on April 3, 2009, at the Oklahoma Statewide Nursing Research Day.

Faculty Research Accepted for Presentation at State and National Conferences
3/11/2009

The research team of Dr. Linda Cook, Dr. Marvel Williamson, Dr. Lois Salmeron, and Prof. Denise Burton had their research on retention of aging faculty in the workforce accepted for presentation on April 3, 2009, at the Oklahoma Statewide Nursing Research Day, and at the 20th Annual Nurse Educators Conference in the Rockies held in Breckenridge, Colorado, in July 2009.

NCA Gives Approval to Offer PhD Courses
3/5/2009

Accreditation of the PhD in nursing program is pending approval by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA) and will be determined in December 2009. Although NCA has authorized Oklahoma City University to begin offering the PhD courses in August 2009, Oklahoma City University does not guarantee final approval of the PhD in nursing program by NCA, and offers a full refund of tuition paid by students who take the Philosophy of Science and/or Advanced Health Care Policy courses in Fall 2009 if the PhD in nursing is not approved.

Dean Williamson Contributes to New Book
2/27/2009

Dr. Marvel Williamson, Dean of Kramer School of Nursing, has had a manuscript accepted for publication in Giving through Teaching: How Nurse Educators Are Changing the World, a book to be released in late 2009 by Springer Publishing in a joint project with the National League for Nursing. Dr. Williamson's contribution, titled "Beyond the Iron Curtain: Helping Nurses Apply Perestroika," describes her experiences teaching in Moscow in 1994.

KSN Nursing Student to Speak at Statewide Luncheon
2/19/2009

Makenna Smith, Traditional BSN student and Miss Oklahoma for 2008, will be the Mistress of Ceremonies at the annual “Power of Nursing” luncheon on April 3, 2009. The keynote speaker will be Loretta Sweet Jemmott, PhD, RN, FAAN, and presentation of awards include Awards for Excellence in Nursing and the Champion of Nursing Award going this year to Attorney General Drew Edmondson. “The Power of Nursing” is sponsored by the Oklahoma University College of Nursing, with co-sponsorship by various hospitals and nursing organizations, including Kramer School of Nursing.

KSN Ranks in the Top Ten Percent Again
2/10/2009

The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) reports that in 2008 Kramer School of Nursing (KSN) ranked in the top 10% of all schools in the USA that offer bachelor’s and higher degrees in nursing. NCSBN is the organization to which all states’ boards of nursing belong and convene on matters affecting public safety through policy formation, legislation, and licensure regulation. NCSBN is also the organization that develops and administers the NCLEX-RN (the examination required for Registered Nurse licensure anywhere in the USA and its territories). The top 10% ranking is based on KSN's graduates’ success passing the NCLEX-RN. In 2008, KSN had only one graduate fail the exam on the first attempt, yielding an overall pass rate of 98%. The national pass rate average for 2008 was 87%. This indicator of excellence is the foremost outcome measure used by nursing schools, licensure boards, and employers of nurses to validate program quality. To KSN’s excellent, diligent faculty, to its bright, hard-working students, and to its supportive, effective staff, congratulations on this outstanding achievement!! In recognition of this honor, Dean Marvel Williamson declared March 4, 2009, as “Top Ten Day” at Kramer School of Nursing.

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Scholars Selected
1/20/2009

Twelve men entering the Bachelor's-to-BSN program in January 2009 were selected as recipients of scholarships of $10,000 each from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) as part of its New Careers in Nursing. The RWJF Scholars are (front row, from left): Effiong Bassey, Nathan Silva, Benedict Ugwuh, David Jackson; and (back row): Mike Serrano, Craig Dawson, Michael Garbett, Nigel James, Donald Yan, Orlando Dickerson, Carlos Kitchen. The 12th scholarship recipient, Caleb Ludrick, is not pictured.

Recent Successful Defenses of Master's Theses or Projects
1/6/2009

Noni Erb, “Patient-Controlled Analgesia by Proxy: An Evidence-Based Practice Project"

Marla Peixotto-Smith, “Home Health Care Managers' Perspective of RN Continued Competence"

Professor Shares Expertise
12/28/2008

DeAnne Parrott, MEd, MS, RN, CNE, Instructor of Nursing and nationally renowned expert on test item writing, recently presented a workshop on the subject to the faculty of the nursing program at Oklahoma State University-Oklahoma City.

Faculty Member Receives Honors
12/28/2008

Lynda Korvick, MSN, RN, CNE, Assistant Professor of Nursing, has been inducted into Phi Kappa Phi and is a recipient of Golden Key Honors.

Dr. Susan Barnes Selected for Priddy Fellowship
11/5/2008

Susan Barnes, PhD, RN, CNE, Associate Professor of Nursing and Chair of Graduate and Continuing Education, has been invited to join the 2009 Priddy IV Fellows Learning Community at Oklahoma City University. This grant-funded opportunity will support Dr. Barnes in a variety of travel and developmental activities, aimed at helping faculty incorporate the arts into the curriculum.

Doctoral Nursing Programs Complete University Approval Process
10/29/2008

On October 29, 2008, the Oklahoma City University Board of Trustees authorized the addition of two new doctoral programs by Kramer School of Nursing: a PhD and a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). The next step is approval by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

Recent Successful Defenses of Master’s Theses and Projects
10/9/2008

Brenda Johnston, “Faculty Knowledge of Disability at the University Level” (thesis)

Kim Pointer, “Outcomes of a Diabetes Disease Management Program as Measured by Institutional Economics, Hemoglobin A1C's and Participants’ Treatment Satisfaction” (thesis)

Beverly Stiles, “Reliability and Validity of Kolcaba’s Nursing Comfort Questionnaire” (thesis)

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Grant
10/9/2008

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has given KSN $120,000 for scholarships to promote the entrance by more men into nursing.

Recent Presentations by Faculty
10/9/2008

DeAnne Parrott spoke at the statewide forum on October 29, 2008, in Tulsa on “Decision 2008: Comparing the Health Care Plans of the Presidential Candidates.” The event was sponsored by the Oklahoma Nurses Association, the Institute for Oklahoma Nursing Education, and the Oklahoma Health Care Workforce Center.

Dr. Susan Barnes and Dr. Lois Salmeron presented at the Oklahoma Nurses Association annual convention in Tulsa on October 30, 2008. Their topic was “Centennial History Project: Sources of the Self for Oklahoma Nurses.”

Hilda Crane-Smith and DeAnne Parrott spoke at the Fourth Annual Nurse Educator’s Conference on “Ethics in Education” held at KSN in February 2008.

Dr. Susan Barnes presented a paper “Evidence Based Practice: Making the Connection” at Comanche County Memorial Hospital for nursing continuing education on April 14, 2008. She also spoke to the Duncan Regional Hospital Ethics Committee on April 7, 2008, on “Development of an Institutional Review Board.”

Dr. Linda Cook and Denise Burton presented their research on retention of aging nursing faculty in the workforce at the 7th Summer Institute of the Chicago Institute for Nursing Education, “Nursing Education in the 21st Century: Implications of an Aging Population” in Chicago in June 2008.

Lynn Korvick spoke at the Technology Innovations in Nursing conference on “Ready, Set, Click: Implementation of Clickers in the Classroom” held at the Crowne Plaza Island Resort, Hilton Head, South Carolina, on March 25-26, 2008.

Dr. Marvel Williamson presented “Integrating the Arts into the Teaching of Nursing Ethics” at the Fourth Annual Nurse Educator Conference at Oklahoma City University on February 29, 2008.

Dr. Marvel Williamson spoke on “Challenges and Strengths of Oklahoma Nursing Education” at the Honor the Nurse Leader conference, University of Oklahoma, February 19, 2008.

Recent Publications by Faculty
10/9/2008

Cook, Linda. (2007). Perceived conflict, sibling position, cut-off, and multigenerational transmission in the family of origin of chemically dependent persons: An application of Bowen Family Systems Theory. Journal of Addictions Nursing, 18, 1-7

Williamson, Marvel L. (2008). The nursing faculty crisis. The Oklahoma Nurse, 52 (4), 22-23.

Korvick, Lynda, Wisener, Linda, Loftis, L., & Williamson, Marvel. (2008). Comparing the academic performance of students in traditional and second-degree baccalaureate programs. Journal of Nursing Education, 47(3), 139-141.

Alumni News
10/9/2008

Cindy Spaniol (BSN '08) is co-author on “Comparison of Glyburide and Insulin in the Management of Gestational Diabetes” published in the April 2008 issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 111(4 Supplement), p. 50S.

Aaron Cain (BSN '02) is now the Chief Nursing Officer at Tyler ContinueCARE Hospital of Trinity Mother Frances in Tyler, TX.

Jerome Espiritu (BSN 2000) is the Director of Quality Assurance and Risk Management at McBride Clinic Orthopedic Hospital in Oklahoma City.

Stephanee (Woods) Thurman, RN, MSN, CCRN (BSN '94) completed her MSN at the University of Texas at Arlington in 2005 and plans to pursue doctoral education in the future. Her career goals include teaching at the college/university level and the proposed program will focus on nursing faculty preparation. She currently works in the Education Department at the Medical Center of Plano in Plano, Texas.

KSN Graduate Student Selected to Speak at May 2008 Commencement
4/22/2008

Marla Peixotto-Smith, RN, BSN, MSN (cand.), has been invited to speak at the May 2008 Commencement at Oklahoma City University.

RN-to-BSN Student Publishes Research
4/22/2008

Cindy Spaniol, RN (’08 BSN), is co-author on “Comparison of Glyburide and Insulin in the Management of Gestational Diabetes” published in the April 2008 issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 111(4 Supplement), p. 50S.

Another Alumna Achieves Entry into CRNA Program
4/22/2008

Lara Lempke, BSN, RN, ('03 BSN) has been accepted into the Master of Science in Nurse Anesthesia/Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist program at the Gooding Institute of Nurse Anesthesia at Bay Medical Center in Panama City, Florida.

BSN Student Accepted Straight into FNP Program
4/14/2008

Leslie Ketcher, Traditional BSN 2008 graduate, received her acceptance letter from the University of Tennessee at Memphis to enter the Family Nurse Practitioner program beginning in July 2008. Congratulations, Leslie, on this rare opportunity for a new graduate!

Faculty Member Wins Award
4/14/2008

Amanda Pape, Center Manager for Kaplan Test Preparation, has announced that Lynn Korvick has been named the Kaplan Teacher of the Year for Oklahoma City and Norman.

MSN Student Has Paper Accepted at International Conference
4/14/2008

Michelle E. McEver, BSN, MSN (cand.), has had a proposal accepted for presentation at the Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Research Congress in Singapore July 7-11, 2008. She and three of her colleagues from Mercy Health Center (Oklahoma City) will speak on their research study "It's Gotta Be the Shoes: A Study of What Works Best for Nurses’ Feet in the NICU."

Faculty Have Research Study Accepted for Paper Presentation
4/14/2008

One of KSN's faculty research teams, Prof. Denise Burton and Drs. Linda Cook, Lois Salmeron, and Marvel Williamson, have been notified that their proposal “Retaining Nursing Faculty in the Workforce Past Retirement Age” has been accepted for presentation in June 2008 at the 7th Summer Institute of the Chicago Institute for Nursing Education, “Nursing Education in the 21st Century: Implications of an Aging Population.”

Alumna Achieves Admission to Prestigious CRNA School
1/4/2008

Eva McDonald (BSN '06) has been accepted to the University of Maryland nurse anesthetist school where she will become a CRNA. Ms. McDonald was a Bachelor's-to-BSN student at KSN who has been working as a staff nurse in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Johns Hopkins Medical Center since graduation.

Student Elected to State Position
1/4/2008

Sarah Gilbertson, Traditional BSN Senior, was elected to be the 2008 Breakthrough Director and Chairperson of the Oklahoma Student Nurses Association. KSN sent the largest delegation (9) to the state convention in October and had the largest number of member applications (141). A total of 24 faculty and students attended.

Alumna Leads Hospital to Awards
1/4/2008

Karla Branch Martin (BSN ‘83), Clinical Operations Officer at the McBride Clinic Orthopedic Hospital in Oklahoma City, proudly announces that her facility was awarded the 2008 Orthopedic Surgery Excellence Award by HealthGrades. HealthGrades is the leading independent healthcare ratings company, providing ratings and profiles of hospitals, nursing homes and physicians. Additionally, the hospital ranked #1 in Oklahoma for Overall Orthopedic Services and was the only hospital in Oklahoma to rank within the top 5% in the nation for Overall Orthopedic Services. Congratulations!

KSN Students Win Pageants
11/7/2007

Kramer School of Nursing students are showing their talents beyond nursing. Makenna Smith is Miss Oklahoma 2007, competing for the title of Miss America in January 2008. Molly Colvard, a freshman who held the title of Miss Teen Oklahoma two years ago, has won the Miss OCU pageant and is on her way to the Miss Oklahoma pageant.

Dean Selected as Fellow of the Academy of Nursing Education
9/29/2007

Dr. Marvel Williamson has been named as one of only 41 national nursing leaders to comprise the inaugural group of Fellows of the Academy of Nursing Education. She was inducted at a ceremony during the NLN Summit in Phoenix on September 29, 2007.

Meinders Foundation Awards Grant to KSN
7/5/2007

The Meinders Foundation has given the Kramer School of Nursing a matching grant of $150,000 to help provide the Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree to Oklahoma's rural nurses through on-site programs starting in August 2007. For more information, click here!

KSN Receives Federal Grant to Educate Oklahoma's Rural Nurses
7/5/2007

The Health Resources and Services Administration of the US Department of Health and Human Services has awarded a $794,721 grant to the Kramer School of Nursing. These funds will allow KSN to take the RN-to-BSN program to Oklahoma's rural areas where nurses have little access to in-person BSN classes. For more information, click here!

Dr. Linda Cook Invited to Speak at National Conference
6/21/2007

Dr. Linda Cook was invited to present on "Pain Management in the Chemically Dependent" and on the "Assaulted Staff Program" at the American Psychiatric Nurses Association and the Emergency Nurses Association meeting in October 2007 in Arizona.

Faculty Member Wins Award
4/25/2007

Prof. Hilda Crane-Smith, Director of Gateway Programs, was honored with the 2007 Excellence in Education Award from the Beta Delta Chapter-at-Large of Sigma Theta Tau International.

KSN Radio Ad
4/9/2007

Kramer School of Nursing Ranked in Top 10%
3/5/2007

The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN), an organization that all state boards of nursing in the USA and the USA territories belong to, has ranked Oklahoma City University's Kramer School of Nursing in the top 10% of nursing schools in the country for 2006. This ranking is based on a comparison of the performance of graduates of all schools providing Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs leading to Registered Nurse licensure. The NCSBN is the organization through which all state boards of nursing act and work together on issues related to nursing practice and licensure. NCSBN also produces the NCLEX-RN, the RN licensure exam.

Guldmann Company Selects KSN as Demonstration Site
3/1/2007

A Denmark-based company, Guldmann, has selected the Kramer School of Nursing as the only school in Oklahoma to be a demonstration site for its equipment. The first gift is a $15,000 ceiling-hung patient lift system in the nursing skills lab. As the movement toward safer patient handling spreads across the United States, this equipment will help reduce work related injuries caused by nurses trying to lift heavy loads. Kramer School of Nursing and Guldmann are committed to creating a culture of nurse-protection to help reduce loss of nurses from the workforce. A ribbon-cutting ceremony showcasing the lift will be held on April 17, 2007, at 10:00 AM at the nursing school. All are welcome to attend this media event featuring the presidents of Oklahoma City University and the Guldmann company.

Associate Dean Wins Award
2/24/2007

Dr. Lois Salmeron is a recipient of the OCU Societies Award for Excellence. She received this prestigious award on February 24, 2007, for her service to many nursing and civic endeavors of great importance to the state, the city, and the nursing profession.

Dr. Susan Barnes, Dr. Lois Salmeron, Dr. Marvel Williamson, Prof. Lynn Korvick at the Award Gala