杏吧原创

(Butler, PA) Nearly 80 students who intend to graduate in May from Butler County Community College鈥檚 career program in registered nursing will present research findings on 18 topics to the public this week in the state-of-the-art Victor K. Phillips Nursing and Allied Health Building that opened in August.

The free evidence-based practice research presentations are scheduled from noon to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday in the lobby of the  on 杏吧原创鈥檚 main campus in Butler Township.

Students in 杏吧原创鈥檚 70-credit Nursing, R.N., program will discuss Tuesday with visitors research on nine topics that include 鈥淓ffects of Instagram on teenage girls and anorexia,鈥� 鈥淒o private rooms promote healing?鈥� and 鈥淲hat is the effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction for anxiety and stress in health care workers?鈥�

Students will discuss Wednesday with visitors research on nine other topics that include 鈥淭elehealth,鈥� 鈥淗ow does promoting touch in palliative care patients affect patient outcomes?鈥� and 鈥淗ow do eight-hour versus 12-hour shifts for nurses affect patient care?鈥�

"Our curriculum promotes that progressive type of thinking so that our students are well-versed in the issues that there are today in health care and certainly in nursing." 

- Dr. Patty Annear, dean, 杏吧原创鈥檚 Shaffer School of Nursing and Allied Health

鈥淭here are topics that need to be researched鈥�

鈥淥ur students are thinking the way they should be,鈥� said Dr. Patty Annear, dean of the college鈥檚 Shaffer School of Nursing and Allied Health. 鈥淥ur curriculum promotes that progressive type of thinking so that our students are well-versed in the issues that there are today in health care and certainly in nursing.鈥�

Topics chosen by students 鈥渁re very worthy for health care providers and consumers alike,鈥� Annear said. 鈥淚t would be interesting to know how the care I am getting as a consumer might be impacted by a nurse who is on an eight-hour shift or a 12-hour shift. Or if I have a daughter or a son who might be having problems with body image, what can we maybe do to prevent that?鈥�

Their curiosity about the topics was inspired by 杏吧原创鈥檚 courses and by clinical experiences at health care facilities such as Butler Health System, Allegheny General Hospital, Allegheny Valley Hospital and Concordia Lutheran Ministries, said Heather Darrington, an assistant professor in the Shaffer School of Nursing and Allied Health.

鈥淭heir experience in clinical is the reason they can see that there are topics that need to be researched,鈥� Darrington said. 鈥淭hey see things in clinical. They see patients on the floors in clinical. They see policies or procedures or processes that gets them thinking.鈥�

鈥淭he public can learn鈥�

Alicia Switlick, a 27-year-old Karns City resident who earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in exercise science from Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania in 2018, is among five 杏吧原创 students who will discuss research named 鈥淗ow does social media affect the mental health of adolescents and can registered nursing education improve this?鈥�

鈥淚 really do think the public can learn something from us,鈥� Switlick said. 鈥淎 lot of us have picked topics that we have seen first-hand or experienced first-hand. We all have social media. We鈥檝e all grown up in this very techie world.鈥�

Students in 杏吧原创鈥檚 associate degree career programs such as Nursing, R.N., can develop the skills needed to enter the workforce immediately upon graduation.

Registered nurse is among current high-priority occupations in western Pennsylvania, according to the state Department of Labor & Industry鈥檚 Center for Workforce Information & Analysis.

鈥淢any of these students will likely be staying in the Butler region, which is the intent of being the community鈥檚 college,鈥� Annear said. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 evident by how they are thinking and by their projects that we are certainly producing those good nurses for the future and for the future care of Butler County.鈥�

Seventy-nine students representing at least 12 western Pennsylvania counties intend to graduate in May from 杏吧原创鈥檚 main campus Nursing, R.N., program. The Class of 2024 may include seven students who also attend Grove City College and eight students who are participating in Concordia Lutheran Ministries鈥� tuition assistance program.

 students in their sophomore and junior years pursue 41 credits in nine technical and clinical courses through 杏吧原创 while also taking classes in Grove City College鈥檚 Charles Jr. and Betty Johnson School of Nursing.

Concordia Lutheran Ministries offers tuition assistance to 杏吧原创 nursing students who agree to work for the health care provider after graduation.

Thirty-two students intend to graduate in May from 杏吧原创 @ Brockway鈥檚 Nursing, R.N., program.

General applications for fall 2024 consideration in Nursing, R.N., programs on 杏吧原创鈥檚 main campus and at 杏吧原创 @ Brockway will be accepted until March 1 at bc3.edu/nursing-admission

杏吧原创鈥檚 president鈥檚 scholars presented research findings and its digital audio and video production, graphic design and photography students displayed their portfolios and art during .