School of Health and Human Services Blog

The flexible, fast paced, adult centered education at National University is reaping rewards beyond getting that quality degree fast. You can get well and get that degree as reported by NBC 7 San Diego:

Wranglers and Horses Help Veterans Heal Many veterans face problems associated with transitioning from military to civilian life. There is a need for more integrative health approaches that treat the psychosocial and embodied aspects of combat veterans “re-booting” into civilian life. One approach includes horsemanship training to help veterans better empower themselves both physically and mentally.  This approach was developed into the Heart of Horsemanship (HOH), an eight-week horsemanship program with combat veterans living in a residential treatment facility.  The hope is that the program could improve quality of life indicators and the stress response of participants. The program is the focus of SHHS faculty member Dr. Ellen Kaye Gehrke's current research and community outreach  featured before  in the school's blog. Dr. Kaye Gehrke was joined this fall by fellow SHHS faculty members Peggy Ranke and Michael Myers and College of Letters and Scien...

The SHHS Gets to Work on a  Mobile Health Clinic as it  Wins its Second Million Dollar U.S. Department of Health &Human Services Grant! Winter may have just started, but the SHHS has had a busy fall with the announcement of another large grant from the Federal Government.  Details were released to the community in a National University Press Release .  The initiative is led by the Dean, Dr. Gloria McNeal, with a team from all over the school.  The clinic will be based out of Los Angeles and will serve some of the most undeserved patients in the country. The clinic will have virtual components and will move to where it is needed in the community.  Patient care is changing across the U.S. , and our school will be part of that change.  Nursing is at the center of the clinic, but the approach will be inter-professional, utilizing all three SHHS departments and nearly a dozen different programs.  Th...

The Elf (Makaya,  daughter of Deanna Stevens, Assistant to the Dean) helps to hand out presents to community families at our Spectrum Campus in San Diego. 2015 started off a little brighter for several California families thanks to the SHHS.  The now annual event linking the SHHS and the community was held at the Spectrum campus on Friday, December 5th, 2014 and was hosted by nursing students. Six economically challenged families from the community were chosen to receive toys, school supplies and clothing donated by nursing students, faculty and staff. The Elf in the room was 16-year old Makaya Stevens from Jamul, who was a big hit along with Santa as they handed out gifts to happy smiling boys and girls. Parents received gifts as well.  Each year National University's nursing program adopts families who have fallen on hard economic times, but who also give back to their own community as volunteers. Parents were moved to tears as they watched their children unwrap ...

A holiday gift from SHHS to our veterans and their loved ones Veterans and their families, along with current and perspective students and SHHS faculty and staff experienced a unique event on December 6 at the Rolling Horse Ranch in Ramona, California.   The horse training event featured horseman Brad Myers from Operation Silver Spurs (OSS).   Attendees were introduced to OSS's horse training approach to connect with their warrior spirit, renew their leadership roles, and learn that horses and fellow humans “will have their six” (have their back).   A lecture and demonstration of working with horses was given with Rolling Horse Ranch horse Rusty.   Participants learned a new “CODE” of how to handle the challenges and opportunities that life as a veteran or those who support them can use to better their journey in life.   After the presentation, participants interacted with the horses at the ranch and enjoyed lunch provided by the university. ...

The end of November was a busy time for faculty and students in the Departments of Community Health and Health Sciences in regards to research.   Several research papers were presented at the 142nd Annual Meeting and Expo of the American Public Health Association ( APHA ) in New Orleans.   SHHS Faculty members Marie Boman-Davis, Gina Piane, Brandon Eggleston, Ellen Kaye Gehrke, and Michael Myers all made presentations at the prestigious conference.    Dr. Gehrke talks research at the integrative, complementary and traditional health practices poster session at APHA 2014.  Dr. Eggleston can be seen in the upper left talking to conference attendees as well. Dr. Gehrke and Dr. Myers pose in front of their APHA poster on Heart Rate Variability.