Joan McVay, Ed.D., emeritus faculty member of the UNMC College of Nursing, passed away on Aug. 18 at age 85.
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Joan McVay, Ed.D. |
“Dr. McVay was beloved by students, faculty, staff, and members of the community,” Dr. Sebastian said. “These and her many other awards highlight the respect and admiration so many had for her.”
Read Dr. McVay’s obituary in the Scottsbluff Star-Herald here.
Her special passion, Dr. Sebastian said, was caring for underserved populations.
“Dr. McVay influenced nursing and health care in western Nebraska, and throughout the nation, with her teaching, clinical practice, leadership in professional organizations and her publications,” Dr. Sebastian said. “Although professional accolades are important, the talent, leadership, and dedication to others are the special traits we will all remember about Dr. McVay. We will cherish her memory.”
Wendy Wells, an instructor at the UNMC College of Nursing West Nebraska Division, called Dr. McVay a special mentor and colleague.
“She promoted professionalism, activism and always the best care of the patient,” she said. “She used every opportunity to educate those around her. My nursing career was positively impacted by her involvement in my life and she will be fondly remembered.”
As a colleague and mentor, Dr. McVay was supportive and encouraging of new nursing faculty, said Sue Wilhelm, Ph.D., assistant dean of the UNMC College of Nursing West Nebraska Division.
“Joan was very analytical, and she loved Orem’s self-care theory. She was also caring and positive about our ability to learn the new role.”
Students were a high priority for Dr. McVay, Dr. Wilhelm said.
“She spent many hours teaching and supporting them with any issues that they had during their program and afterward. Demonstrating an example of the professional nursing role model was one of Joan’s strengths.”
Dr. Wilhelm said that Dr. McVay also had a passion for caring for those with Alzheimer’s disease.
“She started the first local association to help combat this devastating disease,” she said. “Joan always wanted to know about our families, and she promoted taking care of the caregiver.”
I met her when I lived in Scottsbluff and was attending UNMC there to become a Family Nurse Practitioner. Such a warm, professional and supportive member of the academic staff. A very memorable woman.
A beloved instructor of OB nursing for the Class of '78. She had so much to share and truly cared about her students and their clinical experience.