WesternU College of Graduate Nursing

04/27/2026

https://www.givecampus.com/schools/WesternUniversityofHealthSciences/westernu-giving-day-2026?a=13217309

Join me and make a gift to WesternU Giving Day 2028

04/03/2026

An online article, published by the Columbia Basin Herald, highlights a talk delivered last Thursday by Dr. Bethany A. Thrasher, WesternU College of Graduate Nursing Assistant Professor and Chair of the CGN Faculty Affairs Committee.

The article draws from the presentation’s focus on mental health care and the role of practical, everyday self‑care strategies. Dr. Thrasher had the opportunity to speak directly with the reporter.
📰 Read the article here:
https://ow.ly/weVj50YCV4g

MOSES LAKE — Sometimes, especially in the health care field, it’s easy for the people who look after others to forget about their own well-being, said nurse educator and mental health activist Bethany Thrasher.

03/27/2026

Wendi M. Swanson DNP, RN, FNP-C, NC-BC, DipACLM, Associate Professor for the College of Graduate Nursing at WesternU, presented at the California Nurse Practitioner Association 48th Annual Educational Conference March 12-15, 2026, in San Diego, CA. Dr. Swanson presented The Combined Role of Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Coach, and Lifestyle Medicine Professional Addresses Non-Communicable Chronic Disease in the United States. The presentation highlighted historical factors that have contributed to the current chronic disease crisis in America and offered a novel healthcare approach.
Western University of Health Sciences

03/20/2026

The College of Graduate Nursing at WesternU is proud to share the newest publication developed in collaboration with Associate Professor, Dr. Gryan Garcia, and two DNP-PMHNP students, Aaron Ling and Daniel Kim.

This work stems from the students' DNP project proposal and highlights CGN's partnership with Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center, focusing on advancing clinical approaches to su***de risk assessment.

Ling, A., Kim, D., and Garcia, G. (2026). The Role of Nursing Policy in Standardizing Su***de Risk Screening Across Healthcare Settings. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1080/01612840.2026.2632767

03/20/2026

Congratulations to Dr. Mary Lopez, Dean of the College of Graduate Nursing at WesternU, for her recent co-authorship of a new integrative review focused on barriers to interprofessional collaborative practice in healthcare. Dr. Lopez is a member of the National Academies of Practice (NAP) Interprofessional Collaboration Committee: Subcommittee on Healthcare Access and Quality. The integrative review was highlighted in this week's "AACN News Watch": https://aacn.informz.net/informzdataservice/onlineversion/ind/bWFpbGluZ2luc3RhbmNlaWQ9MTIyOTMzNjMmc3Vic2NyaWJlcmlkPTExNzU3MzExMzQ=

On March 16, 2026, the National Academies of Practice released a new integrative review focused on Barriers to Interprofessional Collaborative Practice in Healthcare. Obstacles to interprofessional collaborative practice (IPCP) persist across healthcare settings and systems, undermining team-based c...

03/05/2026

https://www.instagram.com/p/DVRYI-yAUnT/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

01/31/2026

Congratulations to Dr. Rod Hicks, Dr. Gryan Garcia, and Christyana Visk, LMIS on the following publications:

Garcia, G., & Cotner, C. (2026). Bipolar major depression: A comprehensive review of pharmacotherapy. The Nurse Practitioner, 51(2), 34–40. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NPR.0000000000000389

Hicks, R. W., Visk, C., & Talatala, R. B. (2026). A Scoping Review of Interventions to Prevent Lost Surgical Specimens in the Preanalytical Phase. AORN Journal, 123(2), 152-162. DOI: 10.1002/aorn.70021

is discouraged. A patient-centered approach optimizing efficacy, safety, and stability is essential....

01/09/2026

Congratulations to Dr. Rod Hicks on his most recent publication:

Hicks, R. W. (2026). Overcoming communication barriers that lead to errors in perioperative health care. Clinics in Perioperative Nursing Care, 1, 49-58.

12/19/2025

🎄✨ Project Angel Tree Success ✨🎄

Thanks to our collaboration with faith-based and community partners, DNPA Leadership helped provide gifts for 120 children who have a parent who is incarcerated. Through Project Angel Tree, we were able to directly bless 20 children with joy, hope, and the spirit of the season. 💙

Each smile was a reminder of the power of kindness and community. A heartfelt thank you to Dr. Lewis and all who supported this meaningful effort.

Together, we are making a difference~one child at a time.

11/25/2025

Congratulations to CGN's Dr. Rod Hicks who has co-authored "The Comprehensive Health History and Physical Examination: A Lifespan Approach" Second Edition.

The Comprehensive Health History and Physical Examination: A Lifespan Approach (Revised Second Edition)

Rodney Hicks and Diane Seibert

Designed to fit in a lab coat pocket, The Comprehensive Health History and Physical Examination: A Lifespan Approach equips nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and medical students with a concise and practical tool for conducting thorough medical histories and physical examinations. The pocketbook provides a step-by-step approach for collecting a patient’s medical history and performing a physical evaluation, guiding users through the process with specific questions and a dedicated sequence.

Learn more about this book and request a digital review copy:
https://titles.cognella.com/the-comprehensive-health-history-and-physical-examination-9798823380683