School Notes: School of Nursing
March/April 2024

Partnering with Cape Verdean nurses

Thanks to an introduction by Ana Sofia DeBrito ’17MSN, the Office of Global Affairs and Planetary Health (OGAPH) partnered with the Cape Verdean Nurses Association for a transformative student experience. Global health–track students journeyed to Praia, Cape Verde, for a field immersion led by adult gerontology primary care specialty director Ami Marshall. The experience helped students understand local healthcare systems within the context of political, historical, and cultural influences, raise awareness of community health issues, recognize social determinants affecting patient health, and cultivate the skills needed for effective cross-cultural communication. YSN students engaged with local nurses, University of Cape Verde students and faculty, and the local community.

Lecturer named interim director of online program

Lecturer Katy Maggio was recently appointed YSN’s interim MSN online program director, guiding the school’s first-ever online education program. Maggio brings a wealth of experience in psychiatric mental health nursing, nursing education, online course development, and leadership to the role. Creation of the MSN online program began in earnest in 2019, partially in recognition that a dearth of clinical sites would prevent meaningful expansion of the on-campus MSN program. Need increased after the COVID-19 pandemic illustrated a national nursing shortage, and the school was delighted to welcome the online model’s first cohort in May 2023. 

Centennial celebrations continue through June

The centennial year kicked off in September 2023 with the announcement of the largest gift in the school’s history, $11.1 million to support student scholarships. It continued 
with An exhibition celebrating Yale School of Nursing Centennial (1923-2023) at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library and a special conversation with filmmaker Tonya Lewis Lee about her Black maternal mortality crisis documentary Aftershock. Faculty lectures, alumni events on the road, and other special events continue through June. For more information, visit nursing.yale.edu/centennial.