Joyce M. Varner , RN, MSN, GNP-C, GCNS
Clinical Associate Professor
Adult Health Nursing
Gerontology Track

Education:
DNP University of South ALabama 2007
MSN University of South Alabama 2000
BSN Auburn University Montgomery 1999
ADN George Wallace Community College Selma 1994

Research and Areas of Interest:
Evidence Based Practice Project: Retention of Nursing Personnel in Long-Term Care
Research Grant: Aging RNs in the State of Alabama
Aging Nurses
Dementia Care Issues
Palliative Care and Elders
Substance Abuse and Elders

Courses Taught:
Gerontological Nurse Practitioner/Geropsych Nurse Practitioner tracks.  Coordinate all didactic courses in both tracks and teach in  both clinical practicum courses including: AHN 529, AHN 548, AHN 549, AHN 582, AHN 583, AHN 584, AHN 585, AHN 586, AHN 585.  
Faculty in core curriculum courses for MSN students including NU 508, NU 514, AHN 514.   Faculty in RN-BSN online culminating practicum course NU 460-801.

Affiliations:
National Conference of Gerontological Nurse Practitioners (NCGNP)
American College of Nurse Practitioners (ACNP)
National Gerontological Nursing Association (NGNA)
American Geriatrics Society
Southern Gerontological Society
Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI) Past President of Kappa Omega Chapter and member of Zeta Gamma Chapter
Alabama State Nurses Association (Past chair of Elder Abuse committee, serve as member on the Commission of Professional Issues, current President of District 4, Membership committee, Ethics and Human Rights committee)
National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculty (NONPF), member of the Gerontological Special Interest Group

Honor Societies:
Phi Kappa Phi
Golden Key National Honor Society
Alpha Theta Chi
Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Honor Society

Recent and Selected Publications:
Varner, Joyce M. (October, 2007). Knowing When and How To Take the Keys Away.       The Alabama Nurse.
Varner, Joyce M. & McHaney, Donna F. (2006). Accommodating the Needs of the
     Aging Registered Nurse Workforce in the State of Alabama: A Research Study.      The Alabama Nurse
Varner, Joyce M. (2006). Dementia: Thief of Hearts. The Alabama Nurse.
Varner, Joyce M. (2006) Polypharmacy and Elders:  A Deadly Combination. The
     Alabama Nurse.
Varner, Joyce M. (2006).  The Elder Orphans:  Who Are They?  The Alabama Nurse.
Varner, Joyce M. (2005)  Compassion Fatigue. The Alabama Nurse.

Selected Scholarly Presentations:
Varner, J. (2008, May). How to Develop and Implement Reminiscence Group      Therapy. Invited podium presentation at Samford University, Birmingham, Al.
Varner, J. (2008, April). Reminiscence Group Therapy. Podium presentation at      FACES 08, Montgomery, Al.
Varner, J. (2008, April). Older Drivers: Knowing How and When to Take The Keys
     Away. Poster presentation at the 29th Annual Southern Gerontological Society      Conference, Atlanta, Ga.
Varner, J. & Magdon, K. (2008, March). AIT Preceptor Training Program. Podium
     presentation for the Board of Examiners of Nursing Home Administrators,      Birmingham, Al.
Varner, J. (2008, February). Dementia, Thief of Hearts: the Challenge for Caregivers.
     Podium presentation at the Magnolia Chapter of the National Conference of      Gerontological Nurse Practitioners and Mississippi Nurses Association      Conference, Jackson, Ms.
Varner, J. (2007, November). Locus of Control in Educational Settings. Podium      presentation at Alabama College Association Conference, Birmingham, Al.
Varner, J. (2007, September). 2nd Annual GNP Certification Review Course. NCGNP
     Conference, San Diego, California
Varner, J. (2007, August) 1st Annual Palliative/End of Life Update. Developed and      implemented the first annual hospice update as a collaboration between the USA      College of Nursing and Mobile Infirmary Hospice.
Varner, J. (2007, May) To Everything There Is A Season: Annual Geriatric Update for      ASNA. Podium presentations: topics presented include:
     Geriatric Physical Assessment, Substance Abuse and Elders, and
     Dementia: How to Differentiate and Manage.

Selected Research/Grant Activities:
Creation and dissemination of a Retention Toolkit for Retention of Nursing      Personnel in Nursing Homes. Toolkit is available on the Alabama State Nurses      Association website for use by any long-term care facility.
Liveoak Geriatric Education Center Grant, 2007. HRSA funded consortium grant with
     Florida State University and University of South Alabama.
Assessment of Strategies to Retain Nursing Personnel in Long-term Care Facilities      in the State of Alabama. Research study. Principle Investigator: Joyce Varner. (IRB      approval obtained May 2007).
Liveoak Geriatric Education Center Grant, 2005. HRSA funded consortium grant with
     Florida State University, University of South Alabama, and Florida A&M University.
Knowledge base and use of evidence based practice in nursing education.      Research study. Principle investigators: Donna Faye McHaney and Joyce Varner.      Completed 2005.
Accommodating the Needs of the Aging RN Workforce in the State of Alabama.
     Study of aging registered nurses in the State of Alabama and what, if any, plans      are in place to accommodate needs and retain nurses during the current nursing      shortage. Will be submitted for publication in Alabama Nurse magazine in the      summer of 2006. Poster presentation at FACES 05 in April 2005. Presentation at      Southern Gerontological Society annual conference in April 2005.

Selected Professional Activities:
Reviewer for FA Davis new Gerontological nursing textbook, 2008
Reviewer for Informa Healthcare Expert Opinion on Drug Safety (EODS), (October,      2007). Reviewed article on Polypharmacy in the Elderly. Informa Healthcare is
     based in London, England.
Planned and implemented NCGNP approved Geriatric Nurse Practitioner      certification exam review for national NCGNP conference, 2007
Peer Reviewed and Manuscript Referee for the Magazine Expert Opinion on Drug      Safety (EODS), (a bimonthly peer-reviewed journal indexed to Medline which was      launched in May 2002). It provides comprehensive coverage of the safety of new      and established drug therapies. Based in London, England. 2007
Subject Matter Expert and Reviewer for McMaster Publishing online magazine for      Evidence based Practice specific to      gerontological nursing, 2006-present
Chapter Reviewer for 4 chapters for FA Davis Publishers for Transcultural Nursing      textbook by Marilyn Ray, 2007
Partner for Dissemination of Best Nursing Practices In Care of Older Adults, Hartford      Institute for Geriatric Nursing, 2006-2007
Chapter Reviewer for Elseiver textbook: Toward
     Healthy Aging: Human Needs and Nursing Response 7th ed., 2007

Service:
Governor’s appointment to Board of Directors of Examiners of Nursing Home      Administrators monthly meetings, 2007-2010
Alabama State Nurses Association
     District 4 President, 2007-present
     Membership Committee, 2007-present
     Ethics and Human Rights Committee , 2007-present
     Commission on Professional Issues, 2007-present
Golden Living Center, Foley
     Developed and coordinate annual Geriatric Angel Tree for residents of      Alzheimer’s Care Unit.
     Collect donations and items of need for residents.
     Plan and implement annual Christmas Party for residents and families,      2003present
Coordinate annual Spring Garden Party for residents and families of Alzheimer’s
     Care Unit, 2006-present
     Serve as volunteer for nurses and staff education in Alzheimer’s Care Unit,      2004-present
     Plan and implement Certified Nursing Assistant Day.
     Collect donations of money, gifts, movie tickets, 2006-present
     Volunteer for resident outings, reading, 2003-present
     Assist with activities, collect and distribute clothing and personal care items
     throughout the year
     Implemented first annual watermelon run for 2007 nursing home residents      where watermelons are contributed to the nursing home and a watermelon
     party is held for residents and family members.

Academic Professional Memberships and Leadership Positions:
National Conference of Gerontological Nurse Practitioners
     Member: Membership Committee 2006-2007
     Coordinator: National GNP Certification Review Course 2007
     Member: National GNP Certification Review Course 2006
     Member of NCGNP, 1999-present
National Gerontological Nursing Association
     Member of NGNA, 2007-present
     Advancing Excellence in Nursing Homes workgroup member, 2008
American College of Nurse Practitioners
     Member of ACNP, 1999-present
Alabama State Nurses Association
     District 4 President 2007-present
     Member of Alabama Nursing Coalition, 2007-present
     Member: Commission on Professional Issues , 2007-present
     Member: Membership Committee, 2007-present
National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculty
     Member, 1999-present
American Nurses Association (ANA)
     Member 1994-present
     Taskforce Workgroup member for review and revision of Scope and
     Standards of Gerontological Nursing Practice 2007-2009 with monthly workgroup      teleconference meetings
Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI)
     Kappa Omega Chapter:
     Past President, 2002-2004
     Member, 1998-present
     Zeta Gamma Chapter
     2003-present
Sigma Phi Omega
     Alpha Zeta Chapter
     Member, 2007-present
American Gerontological Society
     Member, 2002-present
Southern Gerontological Society
     Member, 2002-present