Nursing Students Are Busy Serving the Community

From serving Thanksgiving dinner at the Rickman House, to raising funds for Strides Against Breast Cancer to adopting Kalamazoo Gospel Mission families for the holidays, Kalamazoo Valley Student Nurse Association (SNA) members are gaining leadership skills and are cultivating a holistic approach to patient care that complements classroom and lab assignments.

“Service projects help students take care of the community,” said Director of Nursing Patricia Henning. Kalamazoo Valley nursing students are a part of a national movement that is dedicated to fostering the professional development of nurses. The National Student Nurse Association’s mission is to mentor students preparing for initial licensure as registered nurses, and to convey the standards, ethics, and skills that students will need as responsible and accountable leaders and members of the profession.

Kalamazoo Valley nursing faculty members Victoria Hileski and Theresa Shane serve as sponsors and credit the success of the local association to strong student leaders. “When our students are out in the community, they demonstrate their care for the community,” Hileski explained.

SNA member Matt Cleveland initially joined because he thought it would look good on his resume. “Volunteering opened my eyes about how nurses can expand service outside of a clinical setting,” he said. Cleveland, who returned to college after a 22-yearcareer as a machinist with FEMA Corp., is married to a Kalamazoo Valley Nursing Program graduate who is an obstetrics nurse at Bronson Methodist Hospital.

I’ve learned firsthand that you don’t turn off being a nurse when you punch out at the end of a shift,” he said. Amber Smith, president of the SNA, said that the college’s program is “totally preparing me” for a professional career. “Learning about community resources will make me a better nurse,” she said. “This way, I’ll be able to provide a complete approach to patient care.”

Before she decided on a nursing career, Jessica Dykstra, vice president of the SNA, worked at Borgess Medical Center and noted that Kalamazoo Valley nursing graduates were very professional. “I choose Valley because of its great reputation,” she said. “I’ve always been a leader so it seemed natural for me to join the SNA. I like being able to make a difference in the community.”

The Nursing Program at Kalamazoo Valley prepares students for a technical career in nursing. Employment opportunities are nearly unlimited and include acute care hospitals, long-term acute care and extended care facilities, clinics, medical offices, home health and ambulatory care. Graduates may transfer credits toward a Bachelor of Science in nursing degree at many colleges and universities, including Davenport University located in the college’s University Center on the Texas Township Campus.

“Our students attend classes in the Culinary and Allied Health Building on the college’s Bronson Healthy Living Campus. In addition to the benefits of these new facilities, which include state of the art simulation labs, our students complete off campus clinical rotations,” Henning said.

The Kalamazoo Valley Community College Registered Nurse (RN) Completion Program is approved by the Michigan State Board of Nursing. It includes two semesters of prerequisite course work and two semesters of nursing course work for the full-time RN completion student. Financial aid, scholarships, tutoring, and counseling services are available to assist students.

Upon successful completion of all nursing course work, graduates receive an Associate in Applied Science degree and are eligible to write the National Council Licensure Exam for the Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN).

Applications for the fall (September) Nursing Program will be accepted during the first two weeks of April and are available in February through the second week in April. Applications for the winter (January) Nursing Program will be accepted during the last two weeks of September and are available in August and September.

Applications may be obtained from the Texas Township Campus Nursing Program office (posted outside of Room 7426) or online during the application dates listed above. Interested students can learn more by visiting www.kvcc.edu/nursing.