BUCKHANNON — West Virginia Wesleyan College’s School of Nursing graduates are securing employment and successfully passing the West Virginia State NCLEX. Recent examination statistics reflect the School’s four-year passage rate for undergraduate students at 95.75 percent, while the four-year passage rate for master’s grads is over 90 percent.
Along with the high passage rate, bachelor of science in nursing graduates have secured employment at a number of area hospitals including Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown, United Hospital Center in Bridgeport, Huntington Veterans Administration Medical Center, Clarksburg Veterans Administration Medical Center, Stonewall Jackson Medical Center in Weston, and Davis Medical Center in Elkins. In addition to the West Virginia Hospitals, B.S.N. grads have also secured employment at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Erie, Pa., UPMC Presbyterian Hospital in Pittsburgh, Allegheny Valley Hospital in Natrona, Pa., Upper St. Clair Hospital in Pittsburgh, King’s Daughter Medical Center in Ashland, Ky., and Baylor All Saints Medical Center in Fort Worth, Texas.
M.S.N. grads are employed at United Hospital Center, Marshall Orthopaedics in Huntington, Dunbar Medical Associates, Davis Memorial Hospital, Cornerstone Healthcare in Parkersburg, Webster Memorial Hospital in Webster Springs, Stonewall Jackson Medical Center, Community Care of West Virginia, West Virginia University Hospitals, West Virginia University-St. Joseph’s Hospital in Buckhannon, Preferred Primary Care Physicians in South Hills, Pa., Southwest Women’s Healthcare Center in Uniontown, and Providence Regional Medical Center in Everett, Wa.
Wesleyan’s School of Nursing has 122 undergraduate majors and 71 in the M.S.N. program. Last spring, the School began offering a Doctorate of Nursing Practice Degree, Wesleyan’s first-ever doctorate program. The DNP program offers two options: Advanced Nursing Practice and Nursing Leadership. BSN-DNP students in Advanced Nursing Practice can choose from concentrations in Family Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Practitioner, or Nurse-Midwifery. Both the Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Practitioner and Nurse Midwifery concentrations are done in collaboration with Shenandoah University (SU) in Winchester, Va. Students receive their graduate degrees from Wesleyan and certificates in specialty area of advanced practice from Shenandoah. SU uses similar teaching/learning methods as Wesleyan.
The growth and success of Wesleyan’s nursing program has coincided with significant renovations in Middleton Hall, the home of the School of Nursing.
“The transformation of Middleton Hall, the result from funding from the Federal Title III Grant and gifts from the Naylor Family Trust, the Honorable Senator Mike Ross, and alumni and friends have made the building a sanctuary for students where they can learn, develop and grow,” noted Dr. Susan Leight, Director of the School of Nursing. “Our facilities are technologically state-of-the-art and among the very best in our region.”
“Middleton Hall is very conducive to student learning as we have classroom space that can be easily converted to simulation labs. The facility renovations considered maximum flexibility and utility for spaces,” added Dr. Shannon Bosley, assistant professor of nursing and director of simulation lab experiences.
“This is an elite learning environment,” said Dr. Amy Coffman, assistant professor of nursing and clinical coordinator of the M.S.N. program. “Not only is our facility technologically top-notch, it is also aesthetically pleasing.”
West Virginia Wesleyan College is accredited by the Commission on Institutes of Higher Education of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. Wesleyan’s School of Nursing is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. Shenandoah University is accredited by the Commission of the Southern Association Colleges and Schools. The Nurse-Midwifery Program is accredited by the American College of Nurse-Midwives and Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education. The Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.