May 2021 marks a historic moment for West Virginia University Potomac State College as the first cohort of students graduate with WVU School of Nursing Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees
“We are so proud of this first BSN graduating class from our Keyser campus and all those who made this a reality,” Tara Hulsey, PhD, dean of the WVU School of Nursing and vice president of Health Promotion and Wellness, said. “The pandemic confirmed how critical it is to have an educated and skilled workforce of nurses throughout West Virginia, and our BSN program on the Keyser campus is key in making that happen.”
Keyser campus BSN Program Chairperson April Shapiro, PhD, RN, who also serves as an assistant professor in the WVU School of Nursing program, couldn’t contain her pride as she reflected on the past four years since the nursing program began its journey on the Keyser campus in 2017.
Shapiro expounded on all the planning and prep work that went into getting everything started, including physical changes to classrooms and labs, along with all the hard work by facilities and maintenance to complete it on schedule, as well as the accreditation and ribbon cutting in 2018.
“Just four short years ago, Dean Hulsey and I signed a Memorandum of Understanding to move forward with plans to offer the BSN degree on the Keyser campus. The hard work of our faculty, staff and students in the nursing department has led to this momentous occasion as the College confers BSN degrees on 21 students,” PSC Campus President Jennifer Orlikoff, PhD, said.
After sharpening their skills in simulation labs, which included hands-on experience with high-fidelity manikins, patient monitors and functioning headwalls, students were ready for real-life experiences, performing their clinicals with a variety of partners in local and regional nursing homes, hospitals and other community settings. “The growth of the program these last four years would not have been possible without our clinical partners; we are so very grateful to them for all the experiences they provide for our students,” Shapiro said.
Shapiro noted the changes within the cohort, mentioning the maturity in their nursing assessment as well as their skills and critical thinking ability in a variety of situations. She also observed the long-lasting friendships made among the students which will provide them with a support system as they enter their chosen profession.
Ashley Thompson, from Moorefield, W.Va., was the first student to apply to the WVU School of Nursing on the Keyser campus and wanted to share these thoughts, “I chose nursing as a career after my father had two heart attacks. I chose the WVU School of Nursing because I wanted to be part of the Mountaineer family, and I chose the Keyser campus because it’s close to home.”
photo caption: Ashley Thompson, from Moorefield, W.Va., was the first student to apply to the WVU School of Nursing on the Keyser campus, and was one of the first students to graduate from the program.