Oct. 27, 2009 issue

After completing the University of Michigan's second-career bachelor's degree program in nursing, I began the University of Michigan's graduate nursing program. I also had been teaching nursing and pre-nursing classes at Washtenaw Community College and Monroe Community College. I loved teaching, so I kept wondering when I would be able to take a class in nursing education.

A flier about Eastern Michigan University's educational certification in nursing piqued my interest, so I made the switch. Eastern Michigan's program had the same focus that I had always had in my head — that the education of nurses needs to be serious and prepare them for the real world of nursing.

I try to get my students excited about a career in nursing because things are always changing. They've picked a profession that's an art as well as a science. They have to learn to connect with patients, interact with them and learn how to help them. They'll never be the best because they're always improving; always learning from faculty, students and patients. That's what is wonderful about a career in nursing.

I believe in the power of kindness, so I challenge my students with kindness to become the best nurses they can be. To help them get a job after graduation, I developed a special assignment in the clinical course based on an article I read in a nursing journal. The assignment focuses on critical job skills such as prioritizing and taking initiative. It's a marketing tool that puts EMU graduates a step above others at a job interview.

I partner with my students to help them learn. Sometimes, they complain about all the work. But many former students thank me for getting them ready for their role as a nurse. A recent graduate, who is now an Air Force flight nurse, said he felt better prepared than his new nursing hire counterparts. My goal is to do whatever I can to help students learn and grow. — Contributed by Lisa Donovan

 

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