Nurses to discuss current challenges in medical field during Messiah College panel

GRANTHAM, Pa. (Oct. 18, 2006) — Four experienced nurses will give a presentation entitled “The Challenges Facing Advanced Practice Nurses in Pennsylvania and the Nation” on Nov. 8 in Parmer Cinema, located in the Boyer Hall academic building on Messiah College’s Grantham campus. The presentation starts at 7 p.m. and is free and open to the public. In brief lectures followed by question-and-answer sessions, the panelists will help attendees identify levels of advanced practice nurses (APRNs) and understand various obstacles to APRNs today.

The panelists themselves—Melanie Duffy, Richard Haas, Andrea Wolfe and Felicia Rohrbaugh—each represent one of the four levels of APRNs. Duffy is a clinical nurse specialist at Pinnacle Health System. Haas, a certified nurse anesthetist, is the program director of the York College of Pennsylvania Nurse Anesthetist Program. Wolfe is a certified nurse practitioner with Family Practice Associates, as well as an assistant professor at Widener University. Rohrbaugh is a certified nurse midwife at the Women’s Healthcare Group in York.

Messiah College’s Lambda Kappa chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International, an honor society for nursing, will sponsor this event in collaboration with Xi Chi and Eta Eta chapters.

Messiah College, a private Christian college of the liberal and applied arts and sciences, enrolls more than 2,800 undergraduate students in 50 majors. Established in 1909, the primary campus is located in Grantham, Pa., near the state capital of Harrisburg. A satellite campus affiliated with Temple University is located in Philadelphia.