COLUMBIA, S.C. — May 8, 2009 — Twenty-four nursing students were inducted into South University's first Student Nurses Association (SNA) Chapter on Tuesday during the Chapter's kick-off event organized by Program Director, Laurie Harden, RN, MN. All of the students received a SNA pin from Harden and shared something about themselves with their classmates. South University nursing faculty and select staff joined the students for lunch at the conclusion of the meeting.
"The nursing students have made a life-changing choice by starting our nursing program, and it is going to be challenging," said Harden. "These students need to get to know each other and bond because they will spend long hours together learning to critically think through a wide array of scenarios that are likely to occur in clinical settings"
The SNA focuses on supporting nursing students across the country as the prominent pre-professional association. The SNA prepares students to be involved in the professional association after graduation and benefits students by giving them an opportunity to network with other nursing students at the state and national level, by developing leadership skills and by developing skills that students will need to practice as responsible and accountable members of the nursing profession.
"The SNA kick-off event is a milestone in the lives of these 24 students, and it is a milestone for South University in South Carolina," said Brad Kaufmann, president of South University's Columbia campus. "I am looking forward to watching our first class of nursing students move through the curriculum and into clinical rotations."
The nursing program at South University offers professional-level nursing programs, and this first class in expected to graduate in December 2010.
About the Nursing Program
In the nursing laboratory, classroom and clinical experiences, students first must master the fundamentals of nursing and complete the basic medical-surgical courses. Building upon those skills, the students complete specialty courses such as obstetrics, pediatrics and critical care.
The final quarter of the program prepares students for their transition to the nursing profession. Students practice leadership and management skills by choosing a clinical placement in an area of interest from one of a many healthcare facilities available in the local community. During this time, students work with a registered nurse preceptor on a one-to-one basis to prepare for entry into practice and complete comprehensive testing to assure competency and safe practice.
About South University
Established in 1899, South University is a private academic institution dedicated to providing educational opportunities for the intellectual, social and professional development of a diverse student population. South University offers educational programs at the associate, bachelor's, master's and doctoral levels with campuses located in Columbia, S.C.; Montgomery, Ala.; Savannah, Ga.; Tampa and West Palm Beach, Fla.
Further information on South University is available at: www.southuniversity.edu.