This academic year started out with a flurry of activity and has not let up. With record freshman and senior classes, an increased number of students in clinical settings, five new full-time faculty, and a growing clinical adjunct pool, we have so much to be thankful for.
And then, everything changed on March 11 when our beloved President, Dr. White, announced all students would be sent home due to the COVID-19 pandemic and we would switch to remote learning. What does remote mean? Online, Canvas, Zoom, Virtual Simulation, and more Zoom, and more Canvas. Support came from all corners of campus, and our administration cared greatly about the unique needs of our nursing students, especially the upperclassmen and those preparing to graduate. Again, we have much to be thankful for.
Since March 11, it seems everything is COVID-19 focused. We sent our freshmen and sophomore students home with the rest of the student body who could leave. Half of our seniors had just finished their final clinical experience, preceptorship, so they were able to go home as well. However, we gave our juniors and the remaining seniors the choice of going home with an “Incomplete” or staying to finish up clinicals. They all chose to stay. They served. They remained positive. We are so proud of them! The juniors finished up their clinical requirements and have gone home. Fifty-six seniors remain, serving patients and staff in hospitals and learning valuable lessons about nursing and healthcare through this unique time. We remain thankful.
As we make changes and transition to online learning, we continually seek ways to maintain the quality of education our students deserve. We review accreditation and Board of Nursing guidelines to maintain standards. Most importantly, we pray, and lean into God’s Word and the hope we have in Jesus Christ and the opportunity to share that hope.
You have received this newsletter as part of our School of Nursing family, and we hope you will join with us in this community of support and prayer for all our nurses, over 2,000 alumni, and especially the 113 seniors preparing to finish their degree and enter into the frontlines providing care. We are thankful for each of you.
Suzanne Lefever
Assistant Dean, Director of Undergraduate Nursing
Praise the Lord, all nations!
Extol him, all peoples!
For great is his steadfast love toward us,
and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.
Praise the Lord!
– Psalm 117 (ESV)
Posted in: B.S.N.