Welcome to a very special episode of The Beyond Nurse Residency Podcast! 🎉

Today, we are celebrating a monumental milestone: the 10th anniversary of the Iowa Online Nurse Residency Program. Over the past decade, this program has been a cornerstone in the journey of countless new nurses, providing them with the support, education, and community they need to thrive in their careers.

From its humble beginnings in 2014, the Iowa Online Nurse Residency Program has grown and evolved, embracing new technologies and innovative teaching methods to stay at the forefront of nursing education.

In today’s episode, we’ll take a trip down memory lane with two special guests who have been with us since the beginning. Brenda Tiefenthaler, the president of Spencer Hospital and a registered nurse, served on the statewide task force that worked on the development of the Iowa program back in 2012. We will also hear from Lori Forneris, who recently retired after 40 years in nursing. Lori has a passion for developing the rural nursing workforce and served as the chair of this task force.

In this episode, we will delve into the backstory of the vision behind the program, explore what went into developing its curriculum, highlight some of our most exciting changes, and discuss the impact our guests have seen as a result of this program.

GUESTS: Brenda Tiefenthaler, RN, MSN/MHA, is the president of Spencer Hospital.  Prior to her role as president, Tiefenthaler served in several leadership roles at Spencer Hospital as she earned higher levels of responsibility over her career. She’s been an executive team member for the past 18 years, most recently as Senior Vice President of Patient Care and Operations. Tiefenthaler was also a former director of Abben Cancer Center. Before joining Spencer Hospital, she worked in healthcare facilities in the metro-Omaha area, Ft. Dodge, and at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics, specializing in oncology and organ transplants. Tiefenthaler holds master's degrees in Healthcare Administration and Nursing from the University of Phoenix, a bachelor's degree in Nursing from the University of Iowa, and an Associate of Nursing Degree from the College of St. Mary in Omaha. Tiefenthaler grew up on a family farm in Fonda, Iowa. Together, she and her husband, Jeff, have five children and seven grandchildren and reside in Spencer.

Lori Forneris, MS, RN, recently retired after 40 years. Her experience as a nurse included bedside nursing and leadership positions in rural settings, evidence-based practice, and education. Her passion for developing the rural nursing workforce is evident in her work developing an innovative online nurse residency program for new RN graduates.

Send us a text

To learn more about our nurse residency program and other offerings, please visit our website: https://nursing.uiowa.edu/ionrp