Western Carolina University

Students first in WCU's nurse anesthetist program to win research award

Two graduate students are the first in Western Carolina University's nurse anesthetist program to receive WCU's research and creative projects stipend award.

Paula Grey of Swannanoa and Jenna Poziombke of Fall Creek, Wis., received awards for the 2013 spring term for the research proposal "An Evaluation of Sedation Level and Correlated Adverse Events Using Bispectral Index in Patients Undergoing Monitored Anesthesia Care (MAC) for Colonoscopies." Grey and Poziombke are working with Dr. Mark A. Kossick, professor of nursing and graduate anesthesia simulation education coordinator, serving as chairperson on the project.

"This is the first time the WCU graduate nurse anesthesia program has received such recognition for students developing a clinical research proposal for a thesis," said Kossick.

Up to 20 graduate students may be selected for the award. Those selected receive $1,000 for approximately 50 hours of work during the spring 2013 semester, according to the Graduate Student Research and Creative Projects Stipend website.

WCU wins “Anesthesia Bowl” again

The Western Carolina University nurse anesthesia program won the Anesthesia Bowl on Saturday October 1, 2011.  The Anesthesia Bowl is a “jeopardy-style” competition held each year at the annual meeting of the North Carolina Association of Nurse Anesthetists (NCANA).  WCU graduated its first nurse anesthesia class in 2009.  Despite its brief history compared to the competition, WCU nurse anesthesia has now won the bowl 3 of the last 4 years, claiming victory over Duke, Wake Forest, UNC Charlotte, Raleigh School, andEast Carolina University. Each team consists of four graduate students from the six nurse anesthesia programs in the state of North Carolina.  The winning team keeps the coveted trophy at its respective school for the entire year.  Members of the WCU team were Katrina McDonald, Jed Godfrey, Leah Dickerson, Holly Braswell, and Bryan Haslam (alt).   Nurse Anesthesia faculty and contributing faculty were Dr. Shawn Collins, Prof. Mason McDowell, Dr. Mark Kossick, Prof. Ian Hewer, and Dr. Claire DeCristofaro.

The bowl victory capped off a great weekend for the WCU nurse anesthesia program. Three nurse anesthesia faculty members were invited speakers at the NCANA annual meeting held at the Grove Park Inn Sep 30-Oct 2.  Prof Mason McDowell presented recommendations for Perioperative Patient Management; Dr. Shawn Collins presented information on Evidence Based Practice; and Dr. Mark Kossick presented the Essentials of EKG interpretation and Computerized ST segment analysis. Additionally, WCU nurse anesthesia students Bryan Haslam and Jed Godfrey were selected to provide a brief presentation of their research project titled "Does clevidipine possess the clinical attributes of an ideal parental antihypertensive agent for anesthesia practice?"

Click here to read the official WCU press release.

• Nurse Anesthesia students first to win research award
  
  
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• Nurse Anesthesia Program wins $1.23 million grant
  
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