Endicott College School of Nursing 2019 Year-in-Review

Let’s take a moment to look back on the 2019 milestones and memories from the Endicott College School of Nursing.

The new year has now begun, so let’s take a moment to look back on the 2019 milestones and memories from the Endicott College School of Nursing.

World-Renowned Nursing Speakers

In September the School of Nursing hosted two incredible speakers. Karen Daley, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, who is known as a nursing leader, advocate, and activist who presented her research on “Compassionate Care: A Fundamental Imperative for Today’s Changing Healthcare Environment.” Dr. Daley is the past president of the American Nurses Association and is known globally for her advocacy work in needlestick prevention.

Kathie Lasater, Ed.D., RN, ANEF, FAAN, is a professor, researcher, and innovator who visited Endicott in October and presented a seminar on, “Preparing nursing students for clinical judgment in both the classroom and clinical setting.” The seminar was sponsored by the Endicott College School of Nursing Faculty Development Committee and Sigma Theta Tau International, Chi Epsilon Chapter. Dean of the School of Nursing, Nancy Meedzan, states, “We have already begun our programming for Spring 2020 and expect to continue to bring world renowned thought leaders in nursing education and practice to our beautiful campus. As nurse educators we are charged with providing our students, at all levels, with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to care for patients with contemporary health issues.”

New Hospital Partners

This past year Endicott was chosen by Boston Medical Center (BMC) to offer its hybrid program at the BMC campus as it embarks on its journey for Magnet hospital status. The American Nurses Credentialing Center awards Magnet status to organizations that demonstrate excellence in nursing and patient care. In Magnet hospitals, professional advancement is encouraged and rewarded. Donna Begin, DNP, RN, NE-BC, associate director of master’s nursing program, says, “One of the empirical outcomes for Magnet designation is continuous quality improvement and this incorporates ‘new knowledge.’ Providing on-site classes—and on-site registration and application—makes achieving a master's degree easily accessible for the busy professional, while investing in the nursing workforce.”

Recognizing Top Nursing Students

Endicott's Sigma Theta Tau International Chi Epsilon Chapter honors and recognizes students in the nursing program who have completed half of their required nursing courses, maintained a 3.5 GPA or better, and are among the top 35 percent of their class. This honor is received by our exceptional top nursing students during an annual induction ceremony, which was held on October 24, 2019 in the Rose Theater at the Walter J. Manninen Center for the Arts. This year, 30 undergraduate students and 10 graduate students were honored in addition to two nurse leaders in the local community.

Unconventional Study Methods

Escape rooms have become a popular interactive entertainment trend, and recently Amy Smith, DNP, MSN, CNM, RN, associate professor of nursing, created one at Endicott to help nursing students study for finals. Students worked collaboratively in teams to engage in critical thinking by finding clues and solving problems to escape the room titled “Endicott Hospital Maternity Lock Down.”

Students and professors alike also participate in the nursing simulation labs, which are equipped with infant, pediatric, and patient simulators including High Fidelity Laerdal 3G SimMan. The labs provide hands-on opportunities where students can learn, practice, and demonstrate nursing skills in an interactive, safe, and supportive environment. Currently the School of Nursing is in the midst of Phase I of its three-phase simulation center redesign. Lab 101 is being remodeled into a state-of-the-art Nurse Practitioner and Health Assessment Lab, which will provide students with the newest technology in a simulated clinic setting to practice their skills.