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Officers of the Leadership Academy, from left: Traci Potter, Marti Burke, Chelsey Bolton, Julie Hicks and Ann Veys. Not pictured: Erin Mumm, Andrew Waldman, Luisa Rounds and Sarah Vlach. |
Program developers Rebecca Keating-Lefler, Ph.D., a College of Nursing faculty member, and Larry Hewitt, director of the college’s student services, say the academy will focus on three areas: development, education and service.
“Our goal is to prepare nurses as leaders as they prepare for clinical practice,” said Dr. Keating-Lefler, assistant professor, UNMC College of Nursing Department of Parent/Child, Administration, Education, and Science. “We want to instill in students a strong commitment as they become passionate about serving their community, their peers and themselves. Nurses today need to be leaders in the world of health care.
“We are known for being the primary caregivers and the primary advocates for our patients and their families. Our leadership academy will continually prepare students to become leaders within the college and the future leaders in the hospitals and in our communities. This will help build their confidence, promote collaboration and provide a more positive role about themselves.”
The idea for the academy originated with Hewitt, who worked with Army nurses during his time in the U.S. Army.
“When I started working here, I saw we had outstanding nurses, but they were not really exhibiting the same kind of leader traits — how to influence others to get a job done – that I saw many Army nurses exhibit. I got to thinking ‘why is that?’ It’s because they didn’t get the leadership training that went along with nursing in the Army,” Hewitt said.
Over the years, Hewitt saw his thoughts move into action and presented his idea to nursing leadership. “I saw a need for building leadership skills,” he said.
Leaders are individuals who demonstrate positive and motivating characteristics and are able to influence others towards positive outcomes and goal achievement, Dr. Keating-Lefler said. Student and faculty interest in the academy was overwhelming, she said. “The enthusiasm is amazing to me. We’re very thrilled by the interest from students. It will be exciting to see what this builds into.”
Students involved in the academy will have the opportunity to develop a portfolio and vitae. Within the development program, participants will hear seminars by known community leaders, participate in research seminars, work with faculty on existing research studies, recruit new members into the academy, and be involved in college activities.
The education program will include mentoring junior and pre-nursing students, holding study groups, and making presentations about the nursing program and health promotion education at schools. Health promotion also will be conducted for college faculty and students. Foreign language development also will be encouraged.
The service program will focus on serving the community. Undergraduate students also will get opportunities for clinical opportunities in the college’s nursing centers, which include the Mobile Nursing Center and Family Health Care Center in Omaha, Senior Health Promotion Center in Lincoln and the Panhandle Hispanic/Native American Diabetes Outreach Clinic in Scottsbluff. Typically, the experiences are provided for graduate level students. Activities also will include collection drives and fund raising to benefit underserved populations, as well as volunteer activities in the community.
One possible service project is a collection drive to raise money to provide car seats to new mothers in the UNMC OB/GYN clinic, and helping with fund raising for the American Heart Association.
Organizers said the Leadership Academy at the UNMC College of Nursing West Nebraska Division in Scottsbluff will kick off in the fall.
The following students have been elected to serve the academy: Erin Mumm, service program chair; Andrew Waldman and Ann Veys, service co-chairs; Luisa Rounds, education chair; Chelsey Bolton and Sarah Vlach, education co-chairs; Marti Burke, development chair; and Traci Potter and Julie Hicks, development co-chairs.