Nursing – Associate Degree 

Dale Harlan, ’21, A.S.N.

The Associate Degree in Nursing curriculum combines selections from the liberal arts and related cognates with courses from the professional major. Students are guided in the development of critical thinking and decision making skills. In addition, the concept of educational mobility is incorporated, allowing LPN students to enter the curriculum with advanced placement.

Mission

The faculty of the Division of Nursing of Davis & Elkins College supports the beliefs and general purposes of the College. The mission of the Division of Nursing is in concert with the College’s mission “To prepare and inspire students for success and for thoughtful engagement in the world.” The mission of the Division of Nursing is to provide its students with a personalized quality education designed to prepare its graduates to practice as registered nurses and to provide a foundation for lifelong learning and future professional development.

Philosophy

The Davis & Elkins College nursing faculty ascribes to the core competencies for nursing and nursing education identified by the Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) project. The competencies are noted in italics. While firmly based in science and the arts, the essence of nursing is caring and compassionate patient-centered care. Ethical standards, respect for individual dignity, and consideration of cultural context are implicit in the practice of patient-centered care. The nurse advocates for patients and families in ways that promote self-determination, integrity, and ongoing growth as human beings. Nursing care is provided in collaboration with the patient, the family and members of the health care team. The nurse displays a spirit of inquiry by examining evidence to improve quality of care, promote safety and improve patient outcomes. Nursing judgment is integral to making competent decisions related to the provision of safe and effective nursing care. Information essential to nursing care is communicated via a variety of technological and human means. The adoption of these key philosophical components fosters the development of the nurse’s professional identity.

Associate of Science End-of-Program Student Learning Outcomes

The curriculum of the Davis & Elkins College Associate in Science in nursing program is designed to prepare a graduate who will:

• Employ practices to ensure safety of patients and improve outcomes of care.
• Advocate for patients, recognizing the patient or designee as the source of control and as full partner in providing compassionate and coordinated care based on respect for patient’s preferences, values and needs.
• Collaborate effectively within nursing and inter-professional teams, fostering open communication, mutual respect and shared decision-making to achieve safe, quality patient care in a variety of health care settings.
• Use nursing judgment based on best current evidence to provide safe care for patients and families across the lifespan.
• Apply principles of quality improvement to monitor the outcomes of care and minimize risk of harm to patients and providers.
• Use information and technology to communicate, document care, minimize error and support decision making.
• Demonstrate professionalism in the implementation of the role of the registered nurse.

Careers in Nursing

Nursing is one of today’s most challenging careers for men and women, filled with endless personal and professional rewards. By using skills that blend scientific knowledge with compassion and caring, you will make a difference in someone’s life every day.

This is an exciting time to enter the profession. The current nursing shortage and the aging population will create a need for more nurses. It is predicted that by 2020, there will be 434,000 vacant positions in nursing nationwide.

Within six months, 100 percent of D&E Nursing graduates are employed. Some area facilities that hire our graduates include: Davis Medical Center, Elkins; West Virginia University Medicine St. Joseph’s Hospital, Buckhannon; Mon Health Stonewall Jackson Memorial Hospital, Weston; West Virginia University Medicine J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital, Morgantown; Mon Health Mon General Hospital, Morgantown; and West Virginia University Medicine United Hospital Center, Bridgeport.

Many options in the nursing field make it a desirable profession. Choices include: travel nursing, home health, legal nurse consultant, forensic nursing, occupational health, school nursing, hospice, health educator, ambulatory care and more. Many nurses continue their education to become advanced practice nurses.

Externships

Several area hospitals offer nursing students the opportunity to participate in a nurse externship program. Nurse externs who have completed their first year of nursing earn as they learn during a 4-6-week summer program. Under the supervision of a Registered Nurse preceptor, externs get a first-hand learning experience, and increase knowledge and skills in patient assessment, clinical judgment, technical practice, organization, decision making and problem solving. Externs are exposed to a variety of clinical settings, and participate in the care and management of patients and families.

Accreditation

The associate degree nursing program is board approved by the West Virginia RN Board 5001 MacCorkle Ave. SW South Charleston, WV  25303, phone (304) 744-0900, email: rnboard@wv.gov

 Accreditation Disclosure

The associate degree nursing program at Davis & Elkins College located in Elkins, West Virginia is accredited by the:  Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)

3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400 Atlanta, GA  30326

(404) 975-5000

https://www.acenursing.org/

 The most recent accreditation decision made by the ACEN Board of Commissioners for the Associate degree nursing program is Continuing Accreditation.

 View the public information disclosed by ACEN regarding this program at: 

http://www.acenursing.com/accreditedprograms/programSearch.htm

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