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D’Youville’s Denise Dunford Earns National Emergency Nurse Certification

Buffalo, New York – September 28, 2017 – D’Youville Associate Professor Denise Dunford, DNS, FNP-BC, ENP-BC, APRN, is the first nurse practitioner from and the first in the D’Youville faculty to earn national certification as an , a rare achievement of being dually board certified.

The ENP certificate was first offered by the in 2015, and only 120 nurse practitioners nationwide have earned the credential to date. Denise is a 25-year member of the .

"Denise is an outstanding caregiver," said Robert F. McCormack, MD, Chief of Emergency Medicine at Kaleida Health. "She seeks out the disenfranchised elderly patients in the E.D. and addresses all of their medical and social needs. She uses her experience and wisdom to help the neediest patients on a daily basis. She is a true advocate for those who need one most."

Dunford is one of the first local family nurse practitioners employed in the emergency setting to focus on the elderly patient, a true role model for appropriate methods of treating our geriatric population on an individual and community level. She has mentored countless bedside nurses and many of her peers in quality and comprehensive care for geriatric patients in both the hospital and community setting.

Setting the tone at D’Youville

“In my opinion, clinical expertise among the teaching faculty in D'Youville's family nurse practitioner program is our greatest asset,” said Dunford. “[At D’Youville ] we don't just ‘talk the talk,’ we definitely ‘walk the walk.’"

“Two of us work as nurse practitioners in a university-affiliated emergency department, two faculty members are nurse practitioners in private pediatric settings, another practices in a faith-based clinic and participates in medical mission programs. Our women's health faculty is in a private OB-GYN office setting,” said Dunford about D’Youville hands-on faculty.

“The focus at D'Youville is on individual student success. I can pick up the phone and get an answer to my question — all departments will cut through the red tape to help students achieve their goals. There is always another way to get to the finish line [for our students].”

In addition to being an associate professor at D’Youville, Dunford is also Director of the Family Nurse Practitioner and Doctor of Nursing Practice programs. Clinically, she maintains an active practice in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Buffalo General Hospital.

Dunford has been at Buffalo General Medical Center for 38 years, and since 1995 she has worked as a family nurse practitioner. Dunford has also been named the winner of the National Emergency Nurse Association (ENA) Award for Nursing Competence in Aging.

Dunford earned an associate degree in Nursing from Erie Community College, a Bachelor of Science from D’Youville, and a master’s and doctoral degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo.

About D’Youville’s School of Nursing

The Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts that nursing profession will increase 19% per year until at least 2022. Our programs integrate nursing theory with clinical experience. Graduates of our nursing programs are responsible, ethical, and accountable members of the nursing profession committed to the pursuit of excellence in practice, communication, innovation, research, and lifelong learning.

D’Youville’s baccalaureate and master’s degrees in nursing and doctor of nursing practice degrees are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

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