|
|
| |
 |
| |
| Upcoming Events |
|
| April 15-17 |
|
Alumni Weekend |
| May 6-12 |
|
National Nurses Week |
| June 11, 4 pm |
|
PUC Nurses Pinning |
| |
| Photo Gallery |
 |
| |
|
|
Faculty and Staff Transitions
While bidding farewell to a few faculty and staff, the nursing department welcomed to the team three professors and two office personnel in the new school year.
Summer of 2010 brought a number of changes to the nursing department as several staff transitioned out of Pacific Union College and several new people joined the department.
After 24 years at PUC, department chair and professor of nursing Nancy Tucker retired and moved to the Pacific Northwest. Liss Leal, nursing instructor since 2006, left to become director of medical surgical and orthopedic services at Napa Valley's St. Helena Hospital. The department also said farewell to office manager Cheri Wellborn and nursing student success advisor Tonya Kamaloni.
Three delightful individuals joined the nursing faculty in 2010.
Beverly Glover, B.S.N., M.S., F.N.P., attended the College of San Mateo in California for her A.S. in nursing and continued on for her B.S.N. at PUC's White Memorial campus in Los Angeles. After completing a M.S., F.N.P. from Sonoma State, Beverly worked for Kaiser as a nurse practitioner. Beverly resides in Valljeo, California with her husband. She has two sons who are currently attending PUC.
Doris Morgan, B.S.N., M.P.H., received her prelicensure nursing education in nursing from Southwestern Adventist College in Texas, and received an M.P.H. from Loma Linda University. She moved to PUC from Sacramento, California and is well acquainted with PUC: She sent two daughters to PUC and one is a graduate of the nursing program.
Bonnie Baer, B.S.N., M.S. received her A.S. and B.S.N. from Walla Walla College in Washington, and her M.S. in nursing from Holy Names University in California. Bonnie, who moved to PUC from Grand Terrace, California, is known by many current students because of her work as a summer camp nurse at Pine Springs Ranch in Southern California.
Also new to the department this year are two staff members. Elisabeth "Ruth" Zemansky is the new office manager, and Lorie Johns is the new nursing student success advisor.
|
Hanford Program Graduates Last Class
In it's final graduation ceremony, the Hanford LVN to RN program graduated 22 nursing students.
By Debra Winkle, Director, LVN to RN Programs
December 5, 2010 was a bittersweet day for Pacific Union College's Department of Nursing. Sweet, in that 22 new registered nurses celebrated their graduation from the Hanford LVN to RN Program as they received their A.S. Nursing Pin. Bitter, in that this will be PUC's last graduating LVN to RN class at the Hanford campus. After much thought and deliberation, PUC made the decision to discontinue the Hanford extended campus in light of the changing climate of nursing education and the increasing challenges of managing an on-site program from a considerable distance.
In 1991, PUC responded to a request from the Hanford Community Medical Center to provide an LVN to RN program. The initial plan was to graduate one cohort of RNs to help HCMC transition their LVN employees to the next level. However, the demand warranted another class. Two decades and nine cohorts later, several local programs similar to PUC's have developed, saturating the Hanford area.
PUC has valued working with HCMC, and though the partnership with the hospital has changed, each Hanford graduate will always be an important part of PUC's alumni community.
|
The Proud, The Few: Travis Air Force Base's Class of 2010
Following an intense 18 months of juggling family, military duty, and coursework, 25 Travis Air Force Base graduates received their AS nursing pins.
By Debra Winkle, Director, LVN to RN Programs
Twenty-five Travis Air Force Base (AFB) graduates received their AS nursing pins on June 12, 2010, and the next day, marched across the stage at Pacific Union College's Graduation Grove to receive their diplomas.
After 18 months of never-ending assignments and care plans, 12-hour Sunday clinical, sleep deprivation, work schedules, military commitments, children's schedules, scarce family time, trying to make a nourishing meal at least once a week (of course it could not be on the weekend as we took those away), sweating through exams, arguing test questions from those exams, and being deployed overseas during nursing school—the students completed the program, and managed to do it all with grace.
On January 30, 2011, 23 new Travis AFB students started the program, and they are scheduled to graduate in June 2012.
|
First Person Perspectives: The RN to BSN Road
Hala Kebbas, class of 2010, reflects on life after graduation from the PUC nursing program.
By Hala Kebbas, Class of 2010
I graduated from Pacific Union College's Associate Degree of Nursing Program in June of 2010. Without question, the ADN program prepared me for the boards as well as the working field. My entire nursing class passed boards the first time, showing a clear example of how well prepared the nursing program made us. After finishing the ADN program I decided to dive right into PUC's second step RN to BSN program.
This is a decision I am so glad I made. The Bachelors of Science in Nursing Program at PUC provides students with flexibility, experience, and more job opportunities. The program is structured in core weeks, meeting twice a quarter for a full week each. This allows those that would like to work to do so while going to school. Students have the option to take a full-time or a part-time load. The program also provides hands-on experience by allowing students to make home visits to families during their community health practicum. A BSN degree provides much for job opportunities that one would not have with just an AS degree.
I would highly recommend this program to any ADN-prepared nurse interested in furthering their education and career. The faculty in the nursing department truly cares about the well being and future of their students. I can already tell the classes I have taken in the BSN program have enhanced my critical thinking skills as a registered nurse and will only enhance my career further.
|
In Memory: Doug Abbott
Nursing program alumna Bonnie Arndt remembers her friend and classmate, Douglas Abbott.
By Bonnie Arndt
Douglas Bruce Abbott was born in Berkeley, California, on Dec. 20, 1971. He died on February 1, 2011, in a vehicle crash just outside of Calistoga, California. He was 39 years old.
Doug was my classmate and friend—a sweet, caring, compassionate, Christian man. He lost his life on the way home after working a shift in the Sonoma County Jail. He felt—much to his own surprise—he had found his calling in correctional nursing. Becoming a nurse had allowed him to live his mission as a Christian to serve others in need. During nursing school, Doug was often the shoulder to lean on for other students; he was always ready to listen, provide support, and take time with anybody who asked for his help. His loving and supportive manner continued as he began his journey as a new nurse at the Sonoma County Jail. Doug had the grace and ability to treat all people with respect—no easy task, even in a room filled with saints. He had endless patience, a tremendous joy in life, and took great pride in his work.
Doug was fun to be around, and he made life enjoyable for himself and others. Once, I asked Doug how he could be so cool, calm, and collected. He told me that he had spent some years of his life pursuing a lifestyle that involved a lot of partying and very little living. Once he had realized how empty his life had become, he was able to rededicate himself to Christ and walk the path of faith. It was a long process to find his path, but when he got himself back on track, he realized that he found great happiness in serving others. At the start of nursing school he used to say he wanted to become a nurse because it was a job with good pay and many prospects. By the time he finished school, he realized it was a way of life for him and nursing embodied much of what he had to offer. Doug had, quite simply, realized his life held great promise to help others, and he was going to do his best to ensure that he did. At the same time, Doug was a humble man who rarely spoke of his past. He was mindful that his actions and thoughts should glorify the message of Christ. He was walking easily through the eye of a needle, and then his life ended in the blink of an eye. He has left a void in many hearts, and he will be missed.
Doug is survived by his parents, Beryl and Estelle Abbott of Inchellium, Washington; his brother Daniel Abbott of Bozeman, Montana; his brother, David Abbott of Inchellium, Washington; his sister, Julie Abbott of Roseville, California; and his beloved dog Jay.
Douglas Abbott graduated from the PUC Nursing program in 2010. At the time of his death, he was working and also enrolled in the B.S.N. program at PUC.
|
Department Updates Curriculum
This year, the nursing department implemented a revised curriculum to better integrate the mission and philosophy of PUC.
During the summer of 2009, the nursing faculty embarked on a journey to evaluate and update the nursing program curriculum. The revised curriculum, implemented this year, originates out of five fundamental concepts that are in harmony with the mission and philosophy of Pacific Union College. These five concepts are SDA Christian Context, Humanity, Health, Teaching and Learning, and Nursing.
Together, the concepts are integrated in program-level student learning outcomes. Educated using a curriculum based on these concepts, graduates of the PUC Nursing Programs will practice as professionals, use critical thinking, demonstrate excellence in practice, provide compassionate, respectful care, and engage in lifelong teaching and learning.
To accomplish these goals, the department has embraced a philosophy of education that emphasizes deep learning while fostering development of the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of the profession. The new curriculum follows a concept-based approach in order to foster deep learning. This approach moves away from trying to "teach it all" and rather focuses on the core concepts present throughout many of the human responses to illness.
Along with a new curricular focus on conceptual learning, the department has also worked to create a curriculum that assists students in completing their basic nursing education in two steps: first by completing the pre licensure requirements (and obtaining an AS degree), and next by completing additional classes that round out their post licensure education (and obtaining a BSN degree). Student responses to the new curriculum are positive so far, and the department is excited to see the outcomes of this curricular change as PUC graduates students who will become the nurses of tomorrow.
|
| |
|
