Inside Nursing
The Norwich University Department of Nursing continues its
commitment to excellence in teaching, scholarship and service.
Faculty and students alike have been actively engaged in activities
which further the Program’s mission to develop and prepare
individuals as nurse generalists for professional nursing roles at the
baccalaureate level and to provide educational preparation for graduate
study in nursing. Our students are recognized for their
professionalism and competence in the clinical setting.
Our Students
At the Fall 2007 Convocation, one quarter of all students who were
recognized as University Scholars for achieving a 4.0 Grade Point
Average were Nursing students. Our congratulations to Lori
Schneider, Margaret Stone and Allyson Verge.
Many of our rising Seniors spent a challenging and rewarding summer as
they were accepted into very competitive nursing externship programs or
completed ROTC Summer Nurse Training Programs.
Completing the Nurse Externship Program at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical
Center in Lebanon, NH were Crystal Martin, Kendra Burr, Amanda Peaslee
and Maggie Stone.
Completing the Veteran’s Administration Valor Program were
Jennifer Fischer and Betsy Chapmon at White River Junction, VT and
Caitlin Chadwick, Boston VA Medical Center.
Nurse Associates at Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlington, VT were Sarah Willard,
Curtis Harvie and Codi Collins.
Completing the Summer Nurse Training Program were Dennis Orwatt at
Tripler Army Medical Center in Hawaii, Paul McLemore at Womack Army
Medical Center at Fort Bragg, NC and Cody White at William Beaumont
Army Medical Center in El Paso, TX.
Our Faculty
Dr. Trudee Ettlinger continues her research on prevention science in
the field of substance abuse. She has developed an intervention program
for rural mothers which has gained national recognition as an
innovative program by the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention. The
program has been evaluated and found to be effective for addressing
substance use with these women.
Professor Emily Byrne was appointed to the Board of Directors at Mayo Healthcare in Northfield, VT.
Professor Jan Hansen was appointed Interim Department Chair through 12/31/07
Norwich’s Master of Science in Nursing Program, for which
Professor Hansen is Associate Program Director, was recently awarded
full Unconditional Approval by the Vermont State Board of Nursing.
The Department welcomed two new full time lecturers for the 2007-2008 Academic Year:
Tracy Taylor, MSN, RN is a graduate of Norwich’s BSN and MSN
programs. Previously a clinical faculty at Norwich, she brings a
wealth of experience in Home Health and Maternal Child Nursing.
Sherry Barnard, MSN, RN is a graduate of Sacred Heart University and
Walden University. She was most recently the Diabetic Educator at
Gifford Medical Center and is a Certified Diabetic Educator. She
is also the President-elect of the Vermont Association of Diabetes
Nurse Educators. Her background includes Medical Surgical Nursing
experience at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center.
The Department will be welcoming a new Chair on January 1, 2008.
Valerie A. McCarthy Ed.D., RN,C will have leadership responsibilities
for both the BSN and MSN programs. A native of Massachusetts, Dr.
McCarthy received her B.S.N. from Fitchburg State College, her M.S. in
Nursing from Boston College School of Nursing and her Ed.D. from the
University of Massachusetts. Her clinical specialty is Community
Health and her Ed.D. concentration is in the area of Adult and Higher
Education in the Education Policy, Research and Administration Division.
She has held a variety of faculty, administrative and consulting
positions in nursing education. Her most recent administrative
position was at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health
Sciences in Boston where she was responsible for assessments and long
term strategic planning. Prior to filling that role Dr. McCarthy
was a member of the Senior Administrative Team at the College, serving
as Acting Dean and Associate Professor in the School of Health Sciences
at MCPHS. In this capacity she was responsible for the Graduate
Program in Physician Assistant Studies, the Nuclear medicine Program
and the Radiation Therapy Program. During her tenure at MPHS she also
served as Interim Director of the Forsyth Dental Hygiene Program, and
as Interim Department Chair and Associate Professor in the Department
of Nursing.
Additionally, she held a variety of academic and leadership positions
during her fourteen year tenure at Assumption College in Worcester,
MA. While as Assumption she was the Special Assistant to the
Acting Vice President for Academic Affairs. Among Dr.
McCarthy’s accomplishments in this role, she procured an
institutional Fullbright Scholar in Residence Grant and spearheaded and
supervised the development of a collaborative semester abroad program
in France.