LAU School of Nursing recently hosted two Lebanese-American nurses to share their experience and knowledge with the LAU nursing students. In June, 2011, Dr. Hiba Wehbe-Alameh, PhD, RN, FNP-BC, CTN-A, Assistant Professor of Nursing at the University of Michigan-Flint, was a guest lecturer for nursing students enrolled in NUR210 Professional Nursing Concepts I. An expert in transcultural nursing, Dr. Wehbe-Alameh, introduced the students to the importance of culture in providing health care to individuals and families. Her presentation emphasized the value of culturally competent nursing care in building patient trust and satisfaction with care. Students completed activities during the presentation to raise their sensitivity to stereotyping and how to avoid making first impressions based on an individual’s appearance.

On October 29, 2011, the School of Nursing sponsored a forum featuring Elie Salameh, DNP, RN, Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), from Maryland, USA. During his presentation entitled, “Advanced Nursing Practice as Lived by the Expert, “Dr. Salameh described his nursing ‘journey,’ beginning after he graduated with a B.S.N. degree from the American University of Beirut through the present. He recently graduated with a Doctorate in Nursing Practice (DNP) degree from Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, and described his current role as an FNP in private practice with a Family/Internal Medicine group. He explained that as a nurse practitioner he sees clinic patients and diagnoses and treats their health problems as well as collaborates with other NPs and physicians to provide primary care. He also sees inpatients in hospitals and long-term care settings. His responsibilities overlap with the primary care physician role and build on core nursing knowledge. He fielded many questions from the LAU nursing students about graduate education in nursing, the nurse practitioner role, and DNP education, a new degree option for graduate nursing studies.