CU Nursing - Spring/Summer 2020 - 15

15

COLLEGE
GET TO KNOW

Mary Beth
Flynn Makic

PhD Professor

Mass casualties, chemical threats and substance abuse are just some of the
challenges trauma experts and first-responders face in today's changing
healthcare setting. A newly released fifth-edition of a book Flynn Makic
co-edits addresses those issues and much more.
"Mass casualty, sadly, is an evolving dynamic in our society," said Flynn
Makic, who responded as a trauma nurse during the Columbine massacre
in 1999 and the Aurora theater shooting in 2012. "How do you mobilize
EMS? Where do you set up triage?"
An entire chapter of "Trauma Nursing: From Resuscitation Through
Rehabilitation" answers those questions. Flynn Makic recently completed a
three-year term on the Board of Directors of the American Association of Critical
Care Nurses, which - along with the Society of Trauma Nurses - endorsed the book.

students," said former student Brie
Thumm, (PhD, '17). "In an era of grade
inflation and an emphasis on student
satisfaction, many educators find it
easier to just capitulate to students,"
Thumm said. "Not Dr. Meek."
Meek gave her "lousy" grades when
they were deserved, pushing her to
learn, Thumm said. "And she never
spoon-fed me information, but instead set me up to do the work myself,
leading to a true understanding of the
information. Most importantly, she
taught me what I was capable of."
"She had a no-nonsense way of providing information and an incredibly
caring way of providing feedback,"
said student Emily Barr, PNP. "As a
teacher, she was an expert scaffolder.
She would assess early on who needed
more help and who maybe was more
ahead of the game and then would
manage to teach in tiers."

A RESEARCHER WITH WIT
A respected and prolific researcher,
particularly in the areas of cardiac and
respiratory chronic diseases, Meek is
a fellow of the American Thoracic
Society and the Western Institute of
Nursing (WIN). She participated in
and encouraged student participation
in the annual WIN research conference and last year was elected to the
WIN Board of Governors.

Anyone who has spent any time
with Meek knows that, in addition
to standout teacher, mentor and
researcher, she has another wellknown characteristic: humor.
"Paula is very thoughtful and VERY
funny," said Cropper, adding that she
always felt lucky to sit next to her at
meetings and enjoy Meek's often-sarcastic wit.
Meek's fun side shone through in her
often-worn Elton John-like sunglasses
and her tendency to incorporate
Legos® and humor in her assignments.
"Dr. Meek LOVES Legos® and has
many, many of them," said Barr,
adding that her students gave her a
set for a going-away gift. "In Quant
2 (Quantitative Methods II), she
starts the class by giving us Legos®
and having us build our theoretical
models. She then uses Legos® as a
metaphor for teaching," Barr said.

A MENTORSHIP THAT LIVES ON
Meek provided both the academic
and the emotional support to survive
a highly challenging doctorate program, Johnson said.
"Her guidance, caring and honesty were
what I needed to be successful in a PhD
program and as a researcher. I wouldn't
be where I am without her," she said,
adding that many fellow students told

her they did not believe they were PhD
material until they found Meek.
Meek's door was always open, said
former student Martha Grubaugh
(PhD, '19). "She always had sage
advice - personal, professional and
academic. You really felt like she was
behind you and your greatest cheerleader when times got tough."
But just like the wise wizard never really left Harry Potter, Coats said she's
sure that Meek's mentorship will live
on. "I know I can still always count on
her for her words of wisdom."

Dr. Meek LOVES Legos®
and has many, many of them.
In Quant 2, she starts the
class by giving us Legos® and
having us build our theoretical
models. She then uses Legos®
as a metaphor for teaching."
- Emily Barr
CU Nursing - Spring/Summer 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of CU Nursing - Spring/Summer 2020
