ABSN students spent their last day at Elon on Tuesday where they walked a red carpet at an Oscar themed simulation room . Now they will be leaving Elon to work at multiple local hospitals in areas that interest them in their Pathways to Practice final nursing course.
On Tuesday, Oct. 24, the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) students had their last full day at Elon. Their day started with a final exam which was followed by a summative escape room.
The simulation was themed a Night at the Oscars, where we recognized our stars in the nursing program. The students had to pair up and work together to care for patients and answer the questions related to seven clinical situations, ranging from a mother giving birth, an 8-year-old having an asthma attack, a 19-year involved in a car wreck, a 45-year-old having a heart attack to an elderly man who just lost his wife.
At the end of each scenario, students received an Oscar-themed trophy and an envelope with pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. When all students had completed their scenarios, they worked together on the jigsaw puzzle, which spelled out “you eaRNed it.”
This is true as these students are now leaving Elon to go and spend 120 clinical hours at several hospitals ranging from Cone in Greensboro, Duke in Durham, UNC in Chapel Hill and Novant in Winston Salem and Wilmington. They have chosen to specialize in areas as diverse as maternity, oncology, behavioral health, intensive care and emergency departments. All the students have received multiple job offers and are considering where they want to work and live. Several plan on remaining local and hope this experience they receive in their pathways to practice nursing course will be on a floor they want to stay on once they graduate. Other students know that they want to return home, to Oregon or to the Northeast, but want to use this experience to decide if this type of nursing is what they want to specialize in.
At the end of the escape room, students walked down the red carpet to applause and congratulations from the other nursing cohorts who were on campus. A small party was held where a video of photos and music reflected on their 15-month journey to date. Many a tear were shed, in the sadness of leaving great friends and in the joy of beginning their last nursing course, NRS 4800 Pathways to Practice. They will officially graduate in December after which they will take an external licensing exam (NCLEX) in January and begin their new jobs in February as RNs (registered nurses).