2014-2015 Innovations Magazine

i nnovations • 30 AlUMNI pROFIlES— MASTER OF NURSINg EDUcATION pROgRAM SONIA REISDORF, M.S.N. Providing Care in a Remote Alaskan Hospital “I believe it is imperative to promote nursing and to give back to the nursing profession...” By Andra Hanlon, Ph.D., A.R.N.P., CPNP, Associate Dean for Graduate Programs Sonia Reisdorf, M.S.N., a 2014 graduate of the college’s Master of Nursing Education program and recent recipient of the 2014 Chancellor’s Award for Community Involvement, has spent the past two-plus years working at a critical access hos- pital located in Kotzebue, Alaska, located 30 miles north of the Arctic Circle. This Alaskan Hospital provides care to a population of 8,000, which includes the town of Kotzebue (population: 3,000) and 11 outlying villages with approximately 5,000 res- idents primarily comprised of Alaskan Native Americans. Ac- cording to Reisdorf, there is no road system and the area is only accessible by plane, with the nearest hospital located 546 miles away in Anchorage. Not surprisingly, the location and remoteness of this area presents many challenges for in- dividuals seeking access to health care, including providing health care that is culturally competent. Reisdorf has worked hard to help improve the health of local citizens by embracing the culture through active com- munity involvement in health fairs that promote healthy lifestyles. As this area is only accessible by plane and only has one grocery store, fresh fruits and vegetables generally are not available. Therefore, classes in food preparation using dried vegetables have been incorporated during the health fairs to teach the community how to seek alternatives when fresh options are not available. Similarly, because exercise is just as important as nutrition, Reisdorf teaches a Zumba fit- ness class once a week at the local high school that has been so well received that classes are now being offered in several outlying villages. Reisdorf explained that recruiting and retaining staff is a major challenge because many of the medical providers, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and nurses only stay for a short time as the extreme environment leads to a high turnover rate. Reisdorf, however, is committed to serving and encouraging others to improve the health of the community. As a result, she is actively involved with nursing students through the University of Alaska Anchorage in supervising clin- icals and classroom sessions for the distance R.N. program. She has also functioned as the agency coordinator for the University of Washington’s medical-surgical review and certi- fication course to ensure the professional development of the nurses in her area. “I believe it is imperative to promote nursing and to give back to the nursing profession,” she stated. “I hope to teach one day, and to share the knowledge and experiences I have encountered with future nursing students. My future plans are to finish a doctorate in nursing, and for now, continue to work and live in this remote area of Alaska.”