Elon University / Today in Elon / Inaugural Nursing Career Day connects ABSN students with regional professionals
The Center for Student Professional Development, in collaboration with the Department of Nursing, organized a first day of career in nursing on Wednesday September 7th.
The Center for Student Professional Development, in conjunction with the Department of Nursing, hosted an inaugural Nursing Career Day on Wednesday, September 7 at the Gerald L. Francis Center.
This event brought together four healthcare systems – Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, Cone Health, Duke Health and Novant Health – at the Francis Center to connect with the 29 students enrolled in the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program with the first class graduating in December 2022.
Health care systems representatives were welcomed by Anthony Lester, Program Assistant for the Department of Nursing, through a personalized tour of the School of Health Sciences with special highlights from the reality space virtual, high-fidelity mannequins, and additional classroom and lab space throughout the building.
Then, over lunch, a general welcome to the hospitals was offered by Tiffany Morris, first chair of the Department of Nursing. Morris gave highlights of the ABSN program and how excited the first cohort of graduates are to enter the workforce. Nursing Career Day continued with each health care system providing 15-minute overviews to students, including information on available roles, as well as each system’s culture, values and norms.
Travis Wright, a Talent Acquisition Campus Recruiter at Novant Health, said, “Nursing Career Day allowed Novant Health to provide a face-to-face overview of our accredited nursing residency program with distinction, answer questions and socialize with students. This is a huge win for Elon University, nursing students, and every acute care hospital that was able to attend.
Katelyn Perez, a current ABSN student, said: “Nursing is more than just a job title. A nurse understands the power of patience and compassion as she embarks on a journey alongside her patients during the most difficult or joyous times of their lives. I know that my learning does not stop there but will continue throughout my career to enable me to better serve my community.
The event ended with students directly networking with health system representatives, which allowed for a personalized touch where students could get direct answers to their questions.
Kristin Walker, associate director of employer experience and technology at the Student Professional Development Center, said, “It was great to see both healthcare system representatives and students eager to connect about future opportunities. . We are excited for Elon’s nursing graduates to join the workforce of these health systems and others.
