February 13, 2024
Congratulations to Assistant Professors Kandyce Brennan, DNP, CNM, and Grace Wu, PhD, RN, who have been selected as the fifth cohort of Anne Belcher Interprofessional Faculty Scholars.
Brennan and Wu join scholars Jennifer Alderman, Ashley Bryant, Jean Davison, Ashley Kellish, Carrie Palmer, JoAn Stanek, Elizabeth Stone, and Elizabeth Walters, who have participated in leadership development and mentorship through the generous support from Anne Belcher, MN, PhD, BSN ’67, ANEF, FAAN.
The Anne Belcher Interprofessional Faculty Scholars Program for Nursing was created to provide opportunities for selected faculty in the UNC School of Nursing to shape the world of interprofessional education (IPE) and to create scholarly work others will look to as evidence for the power of IPE in the future.
During the two-year program, Scholars will participate in a targeted educational leadership program to develop, implement and evaluate an interprofessional scholarly product, as well as disseminate this work through presentations and publications. Meg Zomorodi, Associate Provost for Interprofessional Health Initiatives and Director of the Office of Interprofessional Education and Practice (IPEP), will connect the scholars to mentors who will help them advance their projects.
“I am thrilled to congratulate Kandyce and Grace on their receipt of the Anne Belcher Interprofessional Faculty Scholarships,” said Belcher. “My Interprofessional education and practice experiences throughout my career have inspired me, as a devoted alumna of the UNC School of Nursing, to support such opportunities for UNC faculty and their students.”
Brennan plans to use support from this program to further develop the “Health Fair Experience,” a student-led initiative within the undergraduate Public Health nursing course. This initiative, structured as a service-learning clinical component, provides nursing students the opportunity to collaborate with community partners and other health professions students in delivering primary and secondary prevention strategies to underserved populations.
“The Anne Belcher Interprofessional Faculty Scholars Program deeply resonates with my passion for interprofessional education. This prestigious program aligns with my commitment to enriching nursing education and fostering collaborative healthcare practices. I am eager to strengthen my interprofessional skills and efforts through the mentorship and leadership provided by the program,” said Brennan.
Wu is focusing her efforts on improving interprofessional collaboration and education in eating disorders by working with the Center of Excellence for Eating Disorders (UNC CEED) to develop an elective eating disorder course for nursing students.
Eating disorders are a serious mental health issue that affects 28.8 million Americans, have the second highest mortality rate of any mental disorder, and increase the risk of suicide by 11 times. Yet, only 27% of them are diagnosed or treated. However, our nursing programs lack any specific eating disorder courses, and UNC nurses at the CEED inpatient unit reported feeling unprepared about eating disorders during their nursing education. The CEED offers intensive eating disorder training for psychiatry students, but no parallel course in the School of Nursing teaches nurses to effectively care and research for patients with eating disorders.
“An elective eating disorder course in the School of Nursing would equip our nursing students with the skills and knowledge to provide better care and research for patients with eating disorders,” explained Wu. “The support from Anne Belcher Interprofessional Faculty Scholars Program will contribute to the success and dissemination of this vital initiative.”
“Dedication to serving others is a core value of nursing, and Anne’s generous support provides faculty with the resources and mentorship they need to design and implement these interprofessional projects,” said Zomorodi. “The profound impact that both current and former scholars have had on education and practice is evident through their publications and national presentations.”
Since the program was established in 2019, Zomorodi has seen how the mentorship and leadership development opportunities have significantly elevated the stature of interprofessional and nursing education at UNC, positioning it prominently on a national stage. “We’re incredibly grateful to Anne for providing faculty with this opportunity to shape the world of interprofessional education,” she said.
Valerie Howard, dean of the UNC School of Nursing, emphasized the importance of interprofessional education and practice in modern healthcare delivery. “Fostering collaboration and innovation improves patient outcomes,” she explained. “The Anne Belcher Interprofessional Faculty Scholars Program empowers our faculty to lead the charge in shaping the future of healthcare. I extend my deepest gratitude to Anne Belcher for her visionary support, and heartfelt congratulations to Drs. Brennan and Wu.”
