Nurse of the Week: Hospice Liaison Nurse Ligaya “Joy” Villanueva Bercasio

Nurse of the Week: Hospice Liaison Nurse Ligaya “Joy” Villanueva Bercasio

As angels have been known as messengers and guides from time immemorial, it is not necessarily hyperbole for patients and families to refer to hospice liaison nurse – and Nurse of the Week – Ligaya “Joy” Villanueva Bercasio, BSN-RN as an “angel.”

Of her calling as a nurse, Bercasio says “Caring, I think, is really a feeling of happiness for me. You know, fulfillment. I really do believe it is a calling for me. I’m in the right profession, I think.”

The depth and extent of the 30-year nursing veteran’s compassion moved the son of two patients so much that he has virtually adopted her as an honorary family member. Bercasio, who works at Hawaii’s St Francis Healthcare System , was a true guide to Roland Bueno as she comforted him after his parents died. She first met the Buenos in September 2020, when she visited them to talk about providing hospice care for their father. Their encounter was far more eventful than any of them had anticipated.

Almost at once, they established an unusual rapport. As Bercasio recalls, while talking with Roland, his mom, and his father, it felt “like we’ve known each other for a long time… You know, we really established rapport [in a] very short period of time! Nana sharing her love story in the Philippines with Tata, showing their pictures and everything.” (Angels tend to be welcomed on that sort of beyond-first-name basis).

Ligaya “Joy” Villanueva Bercasio, BSN-RN

Ligaya “Joy” Villanueva Bercasio, BSN-RN.

But the visit had a dramatic conclusion. “Nana” had left the room, and as Bercasio was readying to leave, they heard a loud thump in the house. She recalls, “Me and Roland ran back to inside the house and we saw Nana on the kitchen floor unresponsive, not breathing, and no pulse. So I immediately did CPR on her, hoping we could revive her.”

Sadly, although Bercasio was initially able to get a response from Nana (Ms. Bueno), Roland’s mother passed away in the hospital. Shortly afterward, her ailing, grieving spouse followed her.

An encouraging force

A Nurse of the Week who didn’t miraculously save lives? As nurses know well, caring doesn’t end with a patient’s passing. Nursing care extends to relatives as well, and nurses often have a very special gift for connecting with and supporting families in the throes of loss. It was Bercasio’s strong and reassuring presence after that loss that inspired Roland Bueno to nominate her as a “healthcare hero” of Hawaii’s health system.

“My mom and dad had passed very close to each other, just unexpectedly, and she was so integral to that process of accommodating us — not just the health things, but she was just really an encouraging force in our family,” Bueno declared. He told Hawaii News Now, “I’ve heard you can’t change the world, but you can change the world for one person, and I’ve been on the giving end of it, but I have not been on the receiving end. So she really changed the world for our family, too.”

To see a video interview, visit Hawaii News Now.

University of Hawaii at Hilo School of Nursing Awarded Permanent Status for DNP Program

University of Hawaii at Hilo School of Nursing Awarded Permanent Status for DNP Program

The University of Hawaii at Hilo (UH Hilo) School of Nursing recently received permanent status by the Board of Regents for its Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program. The action has changed the DNP program’s designation from a provisional to an established program.

Dr. Alice Davis, director of the UH Hilo School of Nursing and Doctor of Nursing Practice program, tells Hawaii247.com, “The [Board of Regents’] decision validates the outstanding quality of the DNP, along with the efforts of our Nursing faculty and staff who have worked hard to develop and administer this important program. Our DNP graduates are going to be a tremendous part of the healthcare workforce in Hawaii, and can help address the nursing faculty shortage unfolding across the country.”

The DNP program began at UH Hilo in 2012 with a program objective to provide nurses with doctoral-level education focusing on primary care, cultural diversity, health disparities, health promotion, and disease prevention in rural communities. The program provides training to become a Family Nurse Practitioner and also includes a leadership track.

UH Hilo’s DNP program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), with a five-year accreditation status awarded in 2014. To learn more about UH Hilo’s Doctor of Nursing Practice program, visit here.

Hawaii Doubles Number of Advanced Practice Registered Nurses Since 2005

Hawaii Doubles Number of Advanced Practice Registered Nurses Since 2005

The Hawaii State Center for Nursing (HSCN) recently released the 2017 Nursing Workforce Report announcing that the number of advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) in the state has doubled since 2005. APRNs are registered nurses with graduate education, specialized certifications, and advanced nursing licensure.

The HSCN is a part of the School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. It serves all licensed nurses in the state through partnerships and programs with nursing schools and employers. With a shortage of nurses and primary care providers progressing nationwide, Hawaii will benefit greatly from the increase in APRNs, especially given that half of all Hawaii APRNs work in primary-care related specialities. Many of these APRNs work in remote and rural areas providing primary care services to areas of the state affected by provider shortages.

The increase in APRNs has been largely attributed to the enactment of legislation authorizing APRNs to work to the fullest extent of their education and training, allowing them to work as primary care providers who are licensed to perform health promotion, diagnose and manage acute and chronic illnesses, make referrals for specialized care, and prescribe treatments and medication.

The 2017 Nursing Workforce Report also includes a detailed picture of the nursing workforce, including demographics, employment settings, practice specialties, academic preparation, and areas of practice. To view the full report, visit www.hawaiicenterfornursing.org/data-reports/.

University of Hawaii at Manoa School of Nursing Dean Presented with Executive Award

University of Hawaii at Manoa School of Nursing Dean Presented with Executive Award

Mary G. Boland, DrPH, RN, FAAN , dean and professor at the University of Hawaii at Manoa (UH Manoa) School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene, was recently presented with the 2017 Executive Award by the Healthcare Association of Hawaii. Boland was honored with the prestigious award for her leadership in the healthcare community, innovation, and employee morale.

Boland joined UH Manoa in 2005 following a distinguished career at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. She also worked in developing community based care systems for children and families dealing with chronic illnesses. As dean of the UH Manoa School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene for the past 12 years, Boland is credited with building academic partnerships for education, research, and service, and transforming education to meet the needs of the community.

UH President and Interim UH Manoa Chancellor David Lassner tells Manoa.Hawaii.edu, “Mary Boland is highly respected across the state as well as at the University of Hawaii. In addition to her positive contributions to healthcare in Hawaii, she is a tremendous asset. We are very proud of Mary and thank her for her commitment to serving the mission of UH Manoa, and furthering innovation and excellence for the School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene.”

At UH Manoa, Boland led efforts to implement statewide nursing education initiatives from baccalaureate through doctoral levels, developed a statewide partnership for a simulation center, and spearheaded interprofessional initiatives for the UH College of Health Sciences and Social Welfare.

Boland was presented with the award at the annual Awards and Scholarship Gala on Oct. 21, 2017. To learn more about Boland and the UH Manoa School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene, visit here.

University of Hawaii Manoa Awards 13 Scholarships to Veterans Pursuing Higher Education Degrees in Nursing

University of Hawaii Manoa Awards 13 Scholarships to Veterans Pursuing Higher Education Degrees in Nursing

On November 9, 2016, the University of Hawaii Manoa School of Nursing hosted a Veterans Day Celebration to honor all veterans and award scholarships to 13 student veterans pursuing higher education. The student veterans receiving these scholarships are part of the UH Manoa Nursing Veterans to BSN Program which provides college credit to veterans with past medical experience, providing them with a faster pathway to professional nursing and employment.

UH Manoa’s Veteran to BSN Program is the first of its kind in Hawaii and one of only 20 programs nationwide taking part in a national initiative to address the growing demand for nursing and healthcare services. In addition to academic advising and social support that students in the program receive, 12 of those students will also be provided with scholarships ranging from $2,500 to $5,000 to further their nursing education at UH Manoa or another college in Hawaii.

The Veteran to BSN program helps veterans transition from military to civilian life, using skills they gained in the military to help them gain education and employment in their post-military life. Veterans face a number of challenges when they choose to return to school, and these scholarships help relieve the financial burden and allow them to focus on succeeding in school. The Veterans Day Celebration was followed by a reception to honor the 241st birthday of the US Marine Corps on November 10.

University of Hawaii at Manoa Awarded $125,000 in Scholarship Funds to Help Rural Nursing Shortage

University of Hawaii at Manoa Awarded $125,000 in Scholarship Funds to Help Rural Nursing Shortage

$125,000 in scholarship funds was awarded to the University of Hawaii (UH) at Manoa School of Nursing to help 15 community college students from rural areas pursue their Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degrees. Awarded by the William Randolph Hearst Foundations, the donation is intended to help nurses in rural areas advance beyond the community college level and provide residents in rural areas of Hawaii with access to quality healthcare.

Faculty from the nursing programs at Maui College, Kaua’i Community College, and UH Manoa worked together to develop one curriculum to be used as the UH Hawaii Statewide Nursing Consortium (HSNC). Their curriculum also included academic standards, student learning outcomes, and specific nursing courses. Developing the HSNC offers a BSN to nursing students throughout the state, regardless of their island of residence, providing innovative and integrated learning opportunities.[et_bloom_inline optin_id=optin_39]

The first three years of the HSNC program at community colleges and UH Manoa are identical, offering easy transition in the fourth year through UH Manoa or distance options for Maui and Kaua’i students. 81 students from Maui College and Kaua’i Community College earned their BSN degree via the UH Manoa HSNC path from 2013 to 2016. 24 of those students received financial support thanks to the Hearst Scholarship, and another 15 community college students will receive scholarships with the new funding. UH Manoa Nursing also matched an additional $50,000 to further support rural student access to bachelor level nursing education.