Transforming McLeod Hall - School of Nursing - University of Virginia

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fibrosis who are in and out of the hospital constantly, kids with cardiac conditions who have surgery. They all require a lot of nursing care—true nursing care, caring for the whole patient.” Part of what helped make Dean feel successful in this environment was a 12-week orientation program (the hospital has since increased this to six months) that included classes, an orientation to the unit, and a one-on-one preceptorship with an experienced nurse. In addition, for a full year, new nurses from all over the hospital get together once a month for a four-hour class designed to teach new concepts and provide an opportunity for novice nurses to share their experiences with each other. Dean admits that her first year has been difficult. There have been times when she has left her shift in tears, and she still has anxious dreams about forgetting to give a medication. But she is confident that she is not alone in her struggle; there are plenty of experienced colleagues on whom she can call for assistance and answers to her many questions. Anne Marie Chartrand (BSN ’08), too, knows the importance of support from her colleagues. She was still in the preceptor phase in her job as a NICU nurse at Inova Fairfax Hospital when she cared for a newborn who died. The death of a patient is an experience that every nurse encounters at some point in her or his career, one with which it is always difficult to cope. Chartrand’s preceptor and other staff members, however, encircled her with all the support she needed to help ease her grief. “I was just blown away by how much of a team we are,” Chartrand says. “[My colleagues] said, ‘We’re here for you, you’re here for us, and we’re all going to get through this together.’” Several months later, when another new grad on her unit was similarly affected by the death of a baby, Chartrand found herself in the position of caring for the caregiver. The incident highlighted for her the need for grief support for all nurses and inspired her to start an initiative to reach out to colleagues anytime one of their patients passes away. Web Exclusive Share Your First-Year Stories What do you remember most about your first year out of nursing school? What do you do in your current practice to help new nurses? Share your stories—funny, sad, outrageous, uplifting, whatever—with the Alumni office. We’ll publish some of them to our website and share your advice with future graduating classes! Close alumni friendships help Alicia Dean and Lindsey Wilson, two of eight 2009 nursing graduates currently working at Duke. Hugs Make a Difference Social support outside the work environment can be just as vital to the new grad’s success. Dean feels fortunate in this regard as well; she is one of eight members of the UVA School of Nursing class of 2009 working at Duke. During this time of transition into the real world of nursing in a completely unfamiliar city, having a collection of friends with whom she is able to share the experience has made a huge difference. The fact that they are all UVA nursing alumnae makes their connection even stronger. “They were the only people I knew when I came down here,” Dean says. “It was really a lifesaver. It’s great to just have a familiar face from the beginning, someone to go through orientation together, someone to talk with about how hard it is, or something funny that happened. We all hang out together and talk about work, and we all do other things together: explore downtown Raleigh, go to the zoo or the beach. We’ve all made trips to Charlottesville together, too.” Starkey had lots of outside support from her family, her boyfriend and hometown friends, so it was the professional support and the familiarity of a university teaching hospital that made the difference for her. She is much happier now. The selfdoubt is gone, and she’s starting to regain the confidence and competence she felt as a student. Now she’s philosophical about her early challenges: “The first year out, especially the first six months, was a really good experience for me to have,” she says. “As much as it was upsetting and difficult, I think it’s made me a better person today. I’ve learned that I need to do things for myself, I’ve learned that you can’t please everybody, and in the end you have to do what makes you happy.” See www.nursing.virginia.edu/alumni/FirstYearStory, or e-mail nursing-alumni@virginia.edu. • 14 Virginia Legacy Fall 2010
A Generous Spirit, A Lasting Legacy LeRoi H. Moore Scholarship Program Launches at the School of Nursing Philanthropy Although LeRoi Moore was perhaps best known for his skills on the saxophone and as a founding member of Dave Matthews Band, his friends and family also cherish their memories of his quiet and generous spirit. Throughout his life, Moore was an active—albeit private—philanthropist, regularly supporting a number of charities in central Virginia and nationwide. This legacy has continued even after his untimely death two years ago. In 2008, Moore was in an ATV accident on his Charlottesville farm, and received treatment at University of Virginia Medical Center. A few weeks later, Moore passed away suddenly at his home in Los Angeles from complications stemming from the accident. His death was sudden and tragic, and his family, friends, and fans worldwide are still mourning his loss. In his estate planning, Moore provided for a fund to ensure that his philanthropic activities would continue in perpetuity. A year after his death, the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation (CACF) announced the creation of a four-year college scholarship program at the School of Nursing, through this fund. “LeRoi never forgot the care he received at UVA,” says John R. Redick, president of the CACF. “This scholarship truly reflects his desire to honor the efforts of all those who had helped him during his time there.” The LeRoi H. Moore Scholarship is just one of many programs managed by the CACF that benefit the School of Nursing. LeRoi Moore’s legacy includes a new scholarship at the School of Nursing, designed to support students who share his passion for community service. Inspiring Others The LeRoi H. Moore Scholarship launched this fall and provides $5,000 a year, for four years, to a nursing student demonstrating financial need and a history of community service. By 2013, the scholarship will be assisting four students within the School every year. Kaitlyn McQuade, the first recipient of the Moore scholarship, spent her senior year of high school volunteering weekly at Putnam Hospital, close to where she lives in Patterson, NY. Now, she’s settling into her first year at UVA and looking for opportunities to get involved. “When I found out I was receiving this scholarship, I was ecstatic!” says McQuade. “It will make a huge difference in my time here at UVA, and continues to inspire me to give back to those around me.” www.nursing.virginia.edu Virginia Legacy 15 •
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Transforming McLeod Hall - School of Nursing - University of Virginia

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