Betty Jo Houser

Background

Houser, Betty Jo was born on March 13, 1940 in La Junta Colorado, United States. Daughter of Otis Willard and Agnes (Hayden) Love.

Education

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from Loretto Heights College ( LHC, now Regis University), Denver, Colorado, 1962; Master of Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-M), 1991.

Career

Staff Nurse, Fort Logan Mental Health Center, Denver, Colorado, 1962;

Charge Nurse, Menninger Clinic, Topeka, Kansas, 1963;

Private Duty Nurse, USAF Base Hospital, Tachikawa, Japan, 1964-1965;

Part time American Red Cross Nurse, Johnson Air Force Base, Japan, 1964-1966;

Staff nurse, St. Mary’s Hospital Medical Center, Madison, Wisconsin, 1970-1975;

Nurse Clinician 2, Mendota Mental Health Institute (MMHI), Madison Wisconsin, 1985-1990;

Nurse Clinician 3 MMHI, 1990-1995; Faculty Assistant, University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-M) School of Nursing, 1991;

Affiliate Clinical Instructor, UW-M School of Nursing, 1994;

Assistant Professor, Missouri Southern State College (MSSC, now University), Joplin, Missouri, fall 1995-spring 1996;

Pittsburg State University, part time clinical instructor and lecturer , Pittsburg State University, Pittsburg Kansas, fall of 1996 and spring of 1997;

Continuing Education Presenter on Understanding and Managing Psychiatric Mental Health Issues, Missouri League of Nursing, eight sites in Missouri, May-June, 1998;

Assistant Professor , MSSC, Joplin Missouri, fall, 1997 through spring, 2002;

Volunteer RN for Community Clinic, Joplin Missouri, 1997-1998;

Volunteer mental health professional for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), 2003-2006…board member and taught family to family education and provider courses.

Achievements

• Graduated with a Master of Science (MS) degree from UW-Madison, Wisconsin with honors, 1991;
  
  Certification from the American Nurse Association (ANA) as a Psychiatric and Mental Health nurse in 1991;
  
  Board certified by the American Nurse Credentialing Center (ANCC) as a Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) in adult, adolescent and child Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 1993.
  
  National Honor Society, Rocky Ford High School (RFHS), 1957-1958;
  
  initiated into Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, 1991;
  
  and initiated into the Nursing Honor Society of Missouri Southern State College, 1995.
  
  Listed in Marquis’ Who’s Who in American Nursing, 1993.
  
  

Membership

Past member: American Nurses Association (ANA); American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA), Missouri Nurses Association (MONA); Missouri League of Nursing (MLN).

Interests

• Gardening: Carl Junction Cultivator Garden Club, 2002 to present, numerous city beautification projects; President, Vice- President and Secretary at various times in the Garden Club. Active in Ozark Gateway Master Gardeners since 2008; fifteen flower beds in own yard, plus continuing education and Master Gardener projects.
  
  Travel: Lived in Japan for 3 years (1963-1966) and traveled to several SE Asian countries; since 1991, traveled to many more countries, including China, Russia, Australia, New Zealand, and Greece, ( 33 countries, total).
  
  Music: Played organ for St. Peter’s Catholic Church Choir, Rocky Ford Colorado, 1954-1958; played the French Horn in RFHS band, 1954-1958; sang in two musicals at LHC; directed Johnson Family Annex, Japan, church choir, 1963-1966;obtained a Certificate in Early Childhood Education from Edgewood College, Madison Wisconsin in 1975, then developed and taught a pre-school program called Small World, which incorporated music, arts, and crafts, West YMCA, Madison, Wisconsin, 1975-1985; sang with Sweet Adeline’s International, Joplin, Missouri, 2007-2011; sang in St. Maria Goretti Church Choir, Madison Wisconsin many years and in St. Marys’ Church Choir, Joplin Missouri several years until present.
  
  Writing: Acknowledged as reviewer in Psychiatric Nursing Clinical Guide, Assessment Tools and Diagnoses, spring, 2000.
  
  Wrote a book in 2014 and 2015 (2nd edition), My Precious Sister, a story of faith, family, friends and love, based on my sister’s life and the amazing journal she wrote while living with Lou Gehrig’s Disease (ALS). To see more about the book and/or purchase it, go to Betty’s website: myprecioussister.com.

Connections

Married to Wallace Dan Houser, DVM, 1963; three children and three grandchildren.