CONnections - University of Kentucky

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Undergraduate programAll they want to doMovie actor Harrison Ford once said, “We all have bigchanges in our lives that are more or less a second chance.”Students in the College’s new Second Degree B.S.N. Optiongrabbed that second chance and are running with it on theirway to new careers.The first class of Second Degree students began studying tobecome nurses in June 2004. The kickoff was an eight-week,jump-in-with-both-feet, 8 a.m. -5 p.m. course that made thefirst few weeks back in school “crazy” according to DanielO’Barr, a member of that first class. Things have settled downa bit now that he and his classmates are into their thirdsemester, and are following the same schedule as regularB.S.N. Program students. (The first course is now a fullsemester long, as opposed to eight weeks.)O’Barr graduated with a double bachelor’s degree in animalscience and biology in May 2003. He planned to continueon to veterinary school but when that didn’t work out, hedecided to take a year off to decide what his next step wouldbe. In the meantime, he accepted a position with an energycompany that involved a lot of travel.Three months sitting behind the wheel gave him time tothink about who he really wanted to be. He knew he wantedto stay in health care. Some friends and family encouragedhim to go to medical school – he wasn’t interested. What didinterest him was working more closely with people and buildingrelationships with patients.When O’Barr isn’t in class, in clinicals, or studying, he’sworking in the Emergency Department of UK Hospital as anursing technician. It’s a job that suits him. ED experienceshould help him after graduation, as he hopes to work incritical care. That won’t be the end of the story, though, asgraduate school is already in his plans. With a master’s degree,he says, he’ll “have more options available and a master’s willgive me that.”Lisa Whaley, also in the first class of Second Degree students,decided in her junior year majoring in biology that nursingis where she really wanted to be. Her original goal was to goto medical school. Like her classmate O’Barr, she wants tospend more time with patients. Preventive care and patienteducation – especially in women’s health – are what interestWhaley.She realizes that nursing is part business and that patientsatisfaction contributes to the success of a business/hospital.“They’re (patients) not going to come to your hospital if youdon’t take good care of them. The nurse has the most contactwith the patient and you need to make sure you’re givingthem the best experience they can have.”Whaley graduated with her first bachelor’s degree in biologyin May 2004, just as her acceptance letter for the SecondDegree B.S.N. Option at UK landed in her mailbox inGeorgia. She immediately had to pack up her life and find anapartment in Lexington – a city she didn’t know and whereshe knew no one. Classes began June 10.She pays her own tuition and supports herself by workingpart time as a nursing technician. It’s “tough keeping food inthe 'fridge,” but says she made the right decision.Whaley is also thinking she’ll work in critical care aftergraduation. She knows two other nurses who work in thata12CONnections Spring 2005
area. Continuing on to graduateschool is a “definite” in the overallplan. She’s staying open to otherideas, but right now she’sinterested in women’s health.She looks forward to nursingas a comfortable place to be. “Ilove listening to people’s stories.And sometimes the littlest thingsmake the biggest difference inyour day…things you can do forpeople can make your job a loteasier. Spend a few extra secondswith a person. Let them tell yousomething…even if it’s notrelated to anything you’re doing.”O’Barr is looking forward to hisnew career as well. “It (nursing)will definitely be a part of my lifeforever. I really do think it waswhat I was meant to do…evenif it was an odd way of comingaround to it.”Looking back to that first,“crazy” eight weeks…what savedthe sanity of these two students?Without hesitation, both studentsare quick to thank Lee AnneWalmsley, coordinator of theSecond Degree B.S.N. Option.Whaley says that without Walmsley,“we would have drowned a longtime ago.”R.N.-B.S.N. gradsare four for four!Four of our August 2004 R.N.-B.S.N. graduates applied for andwere accepted into C.R.N.A.(Certified Registered NurseAnesthetist) programs. They areChristina L. Arkle, Tammy R.Higgins, Roland L. Laswell, andSarena R. Vargo.Congratulations to all!www.mc.uky.edu/nursing University of Kentucky College of Nursing 13
Page 2 and 3: EditorM. Claire BakerContributorsDo
Page 5: Brockopp advocates for women inscie
Page 8 and 9: Major Troy T. Gibson/Lt. Colonel Sa
Page 10 and 11: Janice JurgensenDeborah KarsellRobi
Page 14 and 15: Graduate programsThink againD.N.P.
Page 16 and 17: Doctor of Nursing PracticeProgram u
Page 18 and 19: Ph.D. student and graduate newsKare
Page 20 and 21: Research and scholarshipAttacking a
Page 23 and 24: AlumniFour alumni awardedRobert Woo
Page 25 and 26: Clinical practice activitiesGood th
Page 27: 315 College of Nursing Bldg.Lexingt

CONnections - University of Kentucky

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?