by Molly Vincent |
Serving vulnerable populations.
It was something Amber Vermeesch knew she’d be involved with no matter where she was at in her career.
It led her to a bachelor’s degree in cultural anthropology from Davidson College in 2001.
It’s now leading Vermeesch, a nursing professor at UP, to represent nursing faculty at the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) National Faculty Intensive Program, where eight nursing faculty from across the country convene to discuss health care policy.
“There is a move to grow leaders among nurses,” Vermeesch said.
Through the upcoming conference, Vermeesch hopes to put a face on health care policy.
The four-day intensive program, which takes place in March, will bring faculty members to Washington D.C. to address how to change policy and serve the nation not just as nurses, but as public officers.
“The eight of us will put our heads together and come up with a group project to help bring policy to other nursing faculty in a meaningful way,” Vermeesch said.
Vermeesch got her master of science degree in nursing at Vanderbilt University and her Ph.D. at the University of Miami.
She has made it her mission to reduce healthcare disparities amongst minorities, especially within the Latino population. She is working to take action against limiting health policies as a family nurse practitioner and seeing patients in primary care settings in addition to teaching.
“I wanted to find a way to continue working with people in various populations and cultures and actually make a difference in their health status ... There are still a lot of people who are uninsured or underinsured,” Vermeesch said.
However, nurse practitioning lacks legal uniformity across the country.
“We are effective in what we do, and we should be able to practice at our full scope. Yet in many states we’re not,” Vermeesch said.
Despite these setbacks, Vermeesch believes health care policy is headed in the right direction.
Vermeesch inspired graduate student Erica Bailey, who is teaching a section of Nursing 310 this semester, to move into the academic world.
Bailey has gotten the chance to know Vermeesch personally through three classes and is attending the AACN Student Policy Summit, which is open to baccalaureate and graduate students enrolled at an AACN member institution.
“She’s always been supportive as faculty … (she’s) encouraged ideas and pushed you to learn more, go deeper,” Bailey said.
Dean of the School of Nursing Joane Moceri echoed this sentiment.
“Dr. Vermeesch has a curious mind accompanied by a ‘can do’ attitude. I really enjoy this about her,” Moceri said.
Meanwhile, Vermeesch is involved on campus as a member of the Presidential Advisory Board for Health and Safety. She has also cultivated a project to decrease stress and increase wellness amongst undergraduate nursing students.
She received an Institutional Review Board approval and a 2015-2016 Dundon-Berchtold Institute Fellowship for a project on ethics: “Investigating Current Issues Prohibiting Doctor of Nursing Practice Graduate Students from Voicing Their Values During Ethical Dilemmas in the Clinical Environment.”
Molly Vincent is a reporter for The Beacon. She can be reached at vincentm17@up.edu.
