Yurkovich receives international education award Eleanor Yurkovich, director of the psychiatric mental health program and professor at the College of Nursing, has been awarded the 2008 Education Award from the International Society of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses. ISPN awards provide an opportunity for the association to formally recognize some of the many outstanding contributions of psychiatric mental health nurses throughout the world. The education award acknowledges exceptional creativity and effectiveness in curriculum development, teaching strategies, student recruitment and support, educational outreach and/or other activities by a psychiatric-mental health nurse educator who is viewed as a mentor and role model by colleagues and students. “This is a great honor not only for Eleanor, but for the College of Nursing. North Dakota needs advanced practice mental health nurses to fill huge gaps in service delivery in rural areas,” said Liz Tyree, department chair. The national shortage of registered nurses is well known, but that shortage extends beyond bed-side care and into advanced practice nursing as well. The UND Center for Rural Health has reported that 50 out of 54 counties in North Dakota are designated as shortage areas of advanced practice mental health nurse practitioners. It is estimated that 9.5 percent of people in the U.S. suffer from a depressive illness and 21 percent of children ages 9 to 17 are in need of mental health services annually. “Often it is the primary care provider who is the entry point for many individuals experiencing a mental health problem,” said Chandice Covington, dean of nursing. “We are extremely fortunate to have Dr. Yurkovich working with such dedication on behalf of the mental health needs of our state.” In addition, Dr. Yurkovich has developed and patented an evaluation tool used to assess community-based psychosocial clubs for individuals with mental illness. In March 2008 she was recognized by the UND Office of Intellectual Property Commercialization and Economic Development as one of 54 inventors on campus that filed for 47 invention disclosures, 38 patent applications and four trademark applications. Dr. Yurkovich received both her BSN and MSN as a psychiatric clinical specialist from Loyola University and her Ed.D. from Montana State University-Bozeman in adult higher education. Dr. Yurkovich’s research interests include factors supporting success of American Indian nursing students, alternative approaches to maintaining wellness and defining health and health seeking behaviors of persons with chronic/severe and persistent mental illness. -- Becky Cournia, Alumni & Development Officer, Nursing, beckycournia@mail.und.edu, 777-4526