D&E students attend Nurse Unity Day
ELKINS — Students in the Davis & Elkins College nursing program joined with their peers and professional nurses from throughout West Virginia to participate in Nurse Unity Day at the Capitol in Charleston. The annual event allows those in the nursing profession an opportunity to learn how current issues will impact health care.
With the theme “A Culture of Safety — Empowering Every Voice,” the event focused on the impact of the nursing workforce on safety of all stakeholders in health care — patients, providers, environment and community.
Davis & Elkins nursing students attending were Elizabeth Arbogast of Bartow; Connie Barrick of Belington; Macey Bennett of Hambleton; Dustin Bower of Stephenson; Meagan Burgess of Bowden; Sydney Curtis of Belington; Sarah D’Angelo of Belington; Chantal Elza of Whitmer; Ashley Enterline of Elkins; JoAnna George of Mill Creek; Erin Herron of Buckhannon; Ashley Hill of Flemington; Molly Jackson of Lost Creek; Andrea Jones of Elkins; Rachel Jones of Hacker Valley; Tiona Kapnicky of Fairmont; Rodnitta Miller of Buckhannon; Lindsey Pifer of Elkins; Courtney Poling of Thomas; Emily Shreve of Elkins; Kayla Simmons of Elkins; Haley Smoot of Elkins; Brittany Thorne of Belington; Andrea Thornhill of Elkins; Danielle Vild of Philippi; Elizabeth Williams of Ellamore; Ridgley Williams of Mill Creek; and Abigail Wittig of Troy, Virginia.
Students attended presentations with guest speakers L. Joyce Wilson, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, second vice president, West Virginia Nurses Association (WVNA); Lori McComas Chaffins, BSN, RN, executive director, WVNA; Michelle Mayhew, MSN, MBA/HCM, RN-BC, executive director, West Virginia LPN Board; Janet Haebler, MSN, RN, senior associate director, state government affairs, American Nurses Association; and Sandra L. Cotton, DNP, APRN, ANP-BC, FNA.
All nurses attending were honored in the House Chambers and again in the Senate Chambers with the reading of Senate Resolution 68 recognizing West Virginia Nurse Unity Day. The group also viewed displays in the Capitol Complex from hospitals and health care agencies throughout the state.
After lunch in the lower rotunda, the West Virginia Nurses Association presented its annual awards.
The Davis & Elkins College Division of Nursing prepares students to function competently and safely at the beginning staff level position, and provides the foundation for upward mobility into higher levels of nursing education. The Associate of Science in nursing curriculum combines selections from the liberal arts and related cognates with courses from the professional major. In addition, the concept of educational mobility is incorporated, allowing LPN students to enter the curriculum with advanced placement. The online RN-BSN Degree Completion Program is designed for working RNs who are adult learners and is offered in three consecutive 16-week rotations.