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Gettysburg, PA – Students in HACC’s practical nursing and associate degree registered nursing programs at the Gettysburg Campus received their nursing pins at a recent ceremony attended by family, friends and college officials. The students have successfully completed their clinical nursing education and are now qualified to take licensure exams to become licensed practical nurses (LPNs) or registered nurses (RNs).
Sixteen students received PN pins, and another 21 received their RN pins. An additional 16 students in the Associate Degree RN program received stripes for the sleeves of their student uniforms in recognition of their completion of the first year of nursing education.
The program included a welcome and opening remarks by Gettysburg Campus Vice President and Dean Jennifer Weaver and from Dr. Edna Baehre, president of HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College. Also attending the ceremony was State Rep. Will Tallman.
Laurel Malinowski, student speaker for the associate degree program, offered words of encouragement. “HACC has a reputation for having a tough nursing program,” she noted, adding, “And a reputation for turning out great nurses.”
Tawana Preston, student speaker for the practical nursing program, offered her CAKE recipe for what makes a good nurse: compassion, awareness and application, knowledge and energy.
In recognition of the impact that cancer has had on themselves and their patients, students presented a donation of $750 for the Grove Cancer Care Center at Chambersburg Hospital. GlaxoSmithKline healthcare company provided a matching donation of $800. The Grove Center is one of the observation sites for HACC’s nursing programs, and the contribution was raised through a series of fund-raising events among the nursing students.
Several graduating students were recognized with awards.
Gary Laabs received the Pennsylvania State Nurses Association District 15 Associate Degree Nursing Leadership Award, and James Thomas received the Gettysburg Campus Practical Nursing Leadership Award. These leadership awards are presented to a student in each program who demonstrates strong leadership qualities which include patient advocacy, professionalism and effective communication skills.
The Gettysburg Campus Practical Nursing Faculty Award for Excellence in Nursing was awarded to Jamie Swauger, and the Associate Degree Nursing Faculty Award for Excellence in Nursing went to Jennifer Alvarado. The faculty awards are presented to a student in each program who demonstrates excellence in interpersonal communication, assessment, documentation, and technical skills; who consistently exhibits exemplary behavior both in the classroom and clinical areas; and who best exemplifies HACC Nursing.
Pamela Dean was the recipient of the Gettysburg Campus Nursing Student Organization Art of Nursing Award for Practical Nursing, and Richard Hutchison received the Nursing Student Organization Associate Degree Art of Nursing Award. These awards are presented to a student in each program who demonstrates outstanding compassionate care to patients and families.
Marilyn Teeter, director of nursing programs at HACC-Gettysburg, advised the students that “Nursing is an exciting, dynamic profession” and graduation “is just the beginning.” “The world changes, theories change, pharmacology is ever-changing, medicine advances. Nursing will and must change, and you will be part of that change.” Teeter also introduced the “wonderful nursing faculty of highly professional nurses [who] spent countless hours with the students, teaching, demonstrating, listening and encouraging.”
The program included a “thank you” for the cooperation and affiliation of area health care agencies which make their sites available to provide clinical experience for nursing students: Adams-Hanover Counseling Services, Carlisle Regional Medical Center, Chambersburg Hospital/Summit Health, Cross Keys Village, Gettysburg Hospital WellSpan, Gettysburg Lutheran Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, Golden Living Center, Green Acres Adams County Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, Hanover Hospital, Hoffman Home, Inc., Homewood at Plum Creek, Lutheran Home Care Services, Mountain View OB/GYN, South Mountain Restoration Center, St. James Lutheran Church Day Care Center, VNA WellSpan, Waynesboro Hospital, and York Hospital WellSpan.
HACC-Gettysburg Campus accepts students into its Practical Nursing program each January and into the Associate Degree Nursing program each January and August. HACC also offers college-based Practical Nursing and Associate Degree Registered Nursing programs at the HACC-Harrisburg and HACC-Lancaster campuses, and Associate Degree programs at the York and Lebanon campuses. Information about the programs and qualifications is available at www.hacc.edu under Quick Links, Health Careers.
