Valentine Group Health
Connie Carino, PhD, RN, FAAN University of Penn School of Nursing Emerita Faculty. Founder, Wellness Community of Philadelphia
Arlene D. Houldin, PhD, PMHCNS-BC, ACHPN
Executive Director, HEAL (Holistic Enrichment of Adult Living)
Associate Professor Emerita of Psychosocial Nursing
Background:
Nurses make a difference and great nurses never STOP making a difference as evidenced by two nurse “stars” in the universe of the Philadelphia area. They both discuss how they were able to spearhead change and create “ahead of their time” programs as younger nurses and how that became what molded their careers going forward. Now that they are senior nurses, when most people think about retiring, they think about what is next to be done to help people? They are leaders who are role models for others to emulate in both their dedicated passion and focused actions to create programs that are sustainable.
Connie Carino, PhD, RN, FAAN University of Penn School of Nursing Emerita Faculty. Founder, Wellness Community of Philadelphia
Dr. Carino has a broad range of experience including higher education, hospital administration, non-profit executive and founder, and consultant. She is a psychiatric nurse by training, specializing in the emotional and psychological responses of patients with serious medical illnesses. She has taught and developed courses in psychiatric nursing at the University of Hawaii, Catholic University where she also served as Associate Director of the Graduate Programs, and the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) and as chairperson of the department of psychiatric nursing in the School of Nursing at the UPenn. She is now a member of the emeritus faculty.
Dr. Carino was also the Clinical Director of Psychiatric Nursing and interim Clinical Director of Medical Nursing at The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP). She was responsible for the nursing care of patients in 400 beds. She established a psychiatric nursing consultation liaison service that provided psychological care to patients and families at HUP. She held a joint appointment in nursing and medicine at the U of Penn and also co-founded the Ethics Committee at HUP, with a nurse and two physician colleagues.
After working with cancer patients for many years, she became interested in the work of The Wellness Community (now called the Cancer Support Community). She formed a non-profit board, founded the Philadelphia chapter, and served as Executive Director. This organization has served thousands of cancer patients in Philadelphia and has its home in a historic home in Fairmount Park in Philadelphia. In her capacity as professor and clinician, she has consulted with the US Air Force Behavioral Health Division, San Antonio; Queens Hospital, Honolulu, Hawaii; First Central Hospital, Tienjin, China and the University of Padua, School of Medicine, Italy.
She has received several honors including The Philadelphia Gimbel Award – 1996 Woman of the Year; Outstanding Alumna – The Catholic University of America, 1987 and Skidmore College, 1999, Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, 1991,1997 honorary Doctor of Humanities from the Allegheny University of the Health Sciences.
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Arlene D. Houldin, PhD, PMHCNS-BC, ACHPN
Executive Director, HEAL (Holistic Enrichment of Adult Living)
Associate Professor Emerita of Psychosocial Nursing, University of Pennsylvania
Dr. Houldin is the founder and Executive Director of HEAL, a home care agency providing personalized holistic care. In her most recent position, Dr. Houldin was the Nursing Director of Palliative Care Services at Philadelphia VA Medical Center. For the past 20 years, she was a member of the Standing Faculty, Clinician-Educator, at University of Pennsylvania, School of Nursing. While at Penn, Dr. Houldin directed the Adult Oncology Nurse Practitioner Program and served as Psycho-oncology Consultant to the Abramson Cancer Center. Currently, Dr. Houldin is an Associate Professor Emerita of Psychosocial Oncology Nursing at the University of Pennsylvania, School of Nursing. She holds National Board Certifications as an Advanced Certified Hospice- Palliative Care Nurse and as an Adult Psychiatric-Mental Health Clinical Nurse Specialist. Dr. Houldin is a member of NAPGCM (National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers).
Overview:
Drs Carino and Houldin are trailblazers who have a passion for meeting the unmet needs of people. Each in their own way set the bar high for the creation of new services that have furthered the aims of people in need of care. As faculty members at the University of Pennsylvania SON, they also function as role models for aspiring nurses to be “the best they can be”.
This program demonstrates how advocates support patient and family decision-making and opens up communication. Health Care reform will requires more involvement of consumers in care decisions and nurses are at the forefront of supporting decision-making. The continuous healing model that Carino and Houldin describe considers care needs over time and helps consumers with planning.
3 Key Points:
1. Advocates support patient and family decision-making and opens up communication.
2. Health Care reform will requires more involvement of consumers in care decisions and nurses are at the forefront of supporting decision-making.
3. The continuous healing model considers care needs over time and helps consumers with planning.
