Oct. 20, 2008
LANCASTER – Veteran nurse educator Joan Clites, Ed.D, RN has joined the Lancaster Campus of HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College as director of nursing.
“We are thrilled to have someone with Joan’s experience and knowledge leading our nursing programs in Lancaster,” said Brad Wolf, Dean of Academic Affairs at the campus. “She is recognized throughout the region as a leader in nurse education and she will continue the qualities of excellence and success that have defined HACC nursing programs over the years.”
Clites, who returned to her native Pennsylvania last year, said, “I am very impressed with the nursing faculty and the quality and diversity of their educational backgrounds and credentials.”
“I am getting to know the students little by little, and look forward to spending time with our clinical partners in the facilities where our students have their experiences,” added Clites.
“Joan’s valuable experience will help carry on the excellent, dedicated efforts of the nursing program faculty and staff at the Lancaster Campus,” said Ronald E. Rebuck, HACC Director of Nursing. “Joan is well respected in the nursing profession and brings many years of nursing education to her post,” he added. “I am pleased to have her as a member of our Nursing Administration team.”
A native of southwestern Pennsylvania, Clites earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Pittsburgh, and a master’s degree in nursing and a doctorate degree of education, both from West Virginia University.
She has taught on all levels of 2-year, 4-year and RN to BSN degree nursing programs. Her early teaching experience began in Waynesburg working with practical nursing students. She then moved to Waynesburg University where she was theory and clinical instructor in a four-year nursing program, then became nursing program director and later, department chair.
She was coordinator of nursing programs from 1999-2005 at Penn State/Fayette then was division head for nursing at Grand View College in Des Moines, Iowa, before returning to Pennsylvania last year.
Her professional experience most recently included consulting in the preparation of a plan for the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS), Forest Glen, Md., to establish an undergraduate School of Nursing. She designed a program and curriculum for a new, upper division undergraduate BSN program with pre-licensure and RN to BSN options.
Some of her professional presentations have included “Teaching RN to BSN Students” at the Faculty Development Conference for the American Association of Colleges of Nursing this past February in Nashville and “Critical Shortage of Nursing Faculty” at the Legislative and Policy Day Program for the Iowa Nurses’ Association in Des Moines in 2007. In addition to her background in education, she is certified in gerontological nursing, the care of older adults.
She and her husband, John, a real estate agent, live in Camp Hill.
HACC’s Lancaster Campus has 997 students enrolled in its nursing programs this fall, including 213 prenursing students, 464 nonclinical students and 320 clinical students. HACC’s nursing program includes the traditional option of four semesters of clinical coursework and a part-time evening option that includes eight semesters of clinical coursework. Both programs lead to an associate degree in nursing that prepares students for employment as registered nurses (RN). A three-semester licensed practical nurse (LPN) program also is offered at the Lancaster site.
The HACC Nursing Care Center, a free health clinic established four years ago by HACC to serve inner city residents, received the 2008 Innovation of the Year Award in Learning and Teaching from the League for Innovation in the Community College.
The center, which was established in collaboration with Southeast Lancaster Health Services medical clinic at 625 S. Duke St., was chosen by HACC administrators to compete for this prestigious recognition by the international organization for community colleges.
Since 2004, more than 3,000 patient visits have been made to the HACC Nursing Care Center, which provides clinical experience to HACC-Lancaster nursing students, who develop cross cultural communication skills and sensitivity to the health care needs of the community. It is staffed by associate degree nursing students during the spring and fall semesters and practical nursing students during the summer sessions under the supervision of HACC nursing faculty.
This December will be the first graduation of part-time evening program registered nurse students at the Lancaster Campus. Pinning ceremonies for these students and other graduating registered nurse students of HACC-Lancaster will be held at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 10, at Lancaster Mennonite High School.
Pinning for graduating practical nurse students will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 11, at Conestoga Valley Middle School.
HACC's nursing programs are approved by the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing and accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission.
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