PAGETWO
VITAE
Nursing students, dissatisfied but optimistic
by Mary Kay Melcher ion and on-going change char- a small margin for personal choice, an average
May 16,1974
by Mary Kay Melcher
Competition and on-going change characterize the four year-old CSB Nursing Department.
"We have a good conceptual framework that does not bind us into any set curricula," said Ms. Eileen Hofbauer, nursing department faculty member who has been in the department since its inception in 1969.
The conceptual framework's essential bases are the beliefs in promotion and maintenance of health and the prevention of illness in all men.
The CSB nursing department emphasizes public health nursing and offers a baccalaureate degree in nursing. The program received its national accreditation two weeks ago. Few programs receive their accreditation so early.
"I expected that it would be a forward-moving program," said Eileen, expressing little surprise that the program has been judged to be mature. She feels that its philosophy of on-going change is one of its most constructive features.
Recent changes in the program include raising of the GPA minimum requirement to 2.5, abandoning of the summer session with the Migrant Health Services and the expanding of opportunities for clinical experiences in an effort to incorporate the community health emphasis into every level of the program.
The program is not static, but the curriculum is highly regimental. The five liberal arts requirements plus the two to three science and nursing courses required each semester leave
Dr. Tomine Tjelta
a small margin for personal choice, an average of 1.5 electives per year.
"Really, when they say, send your daughter to a liberal arts school, she is not getting liberal arts in nursing—not in the junior and senior year at least," said Andrea Ash, junior. "It's a good program, but it's so packed."
Dr. Tomine Tjelta, director of the department, says the program is intentionally rigorous. "It's hard to set such high standards, but we push our students. We give them a very heavy courseload. An average student won't make it."
Each year the department accepts a maximum of 44 students into the junior year, allowing for a 4 person drop-out-rate. A total of 44 sophomores, several still waiting for acceptance notices which are pending upon their GPA's, have been tentatively accepted as nursing majors for next fall.
"There is a lot of competition among freshmen nursing students because there are so many of us," said freshman Mary Walters. "I feel the pressure; my adviser keeps telling me to keep my GPA above 2.5 or they won't even consider me."
The rigid schedule is an added pressure. "This semester we had to take anthropology, chemistry and anatomy. They had scheduled general anthropology the same hour as our chemistry class and cultural anthropology the same hour as our anatomy class. And we were running around all over, trying to find out what to do," said sophomore Mary Beth Gaffaney.
Some SJ U science department faculty teach the bulk of the science courses for nursing students and are familiar with their scheduling problems.
"We have argued that chemistry should be taken in their first instead of their second year. Students could then better cope with microbiology, anatomy and physiology," said Ms. Billie Reaney, SJU biology instructor. She teaches nursing students at least three terms.
Many underclassmen say there are few immediate rewards for their pains in scheduling and competing. "I don't feel as though the nursing department really cares about freshmen or sophomores. There is no communication except when I go to my adviser to get my registration form signed," said Mary Gearin, freshman.
Reminiscing, juniors agree. "That lack of
communication is a big drawback in lower division. You don't have a feeling that you're heading toward nursing. You can't see how you're going to use some of those courses like anthropology," said one junior nursing student.
"Now that I'm in the department the faculty take a personal interest in me," said Jane Mclntee, junior. "It really makes a difference."
The CSB Nursing Club is trying to recruit
more freshmen and sophomores and offer them this type of personal attention.
Ms. Reaney also suggests a more direct and personal method of choosing nursing major candidates. Currently the basis of judgment is GPA.
"Perhaps hard, face-to-face interviews might remedy the situation. Questions could be asked of each applicant. . . hard questions like: Have you applied to other schools' nursing departments or is CSB your only option? . . After the interviews, candidates could be selected. I believe students would know better what they were getting into."
Some junior nursing students were surprised by the amount of time their program of study consumes. The clinical experience, based on a three-hours-per-credit ratio, requires between 10 to 12 hours per week. Second semester seniors devote nearly 19 hours a week to their clinical coursework.
"I wish there were more time or something .. If we didn't have to take any other classes it would be alright...," said Andy.
Pressured though they are, nursing students are, overall, hopeful and proud of their developing department.
"I feel like an experiment in a way, but I feel good about it," said Ann Logan, senior and member of the program's second graduating class. "There may be things I missed out on—better clinical experiences, perhaps, but it's a new program."
continued from p. 1
Foreign Students Unprepared
A survey was prepared by tne i\iauonai association of Foreign Student Affairs (NAFSA) in April 1974. The survey released the following employment information about summer 1973: approximately 30,000 foreign students out of a total of some 150,000 students were employed under summer work permits. When placed in the context of the total labor pool of some 800 million persons in the United States, the foreign students comprise only .00037 of the total work force, a clearly insignificant segment.
There is no evidence given by the U.S. government to indicate that there has been careful consideration and investigation of the disposition of the foreign students before making this new ruling.
If you were to work in the same manner as some of the foreign students have, if you were to be exposed to some of the worst working conditions
that the foreign students have experienced, if you were given the same wages as the foreign students have received, you would rather sit back and receive welfare.
The unexpected enforcement, made so close to the end of the school year, has not only put many foreign students into jeopardy financially and emotionally, but has also created great concern and worry for their parents and families in the far-away land.
The implication of this new restriction on employment indicates not only a policy of protection on the part of the U.S. government, but also a sign that in the near future education will be solely the enterprise of the very rich. How do you, as concerned citizens, as cholars, as educators respond to
that0
Permit renewed but...
CSB's 23 mobile homes in Walden III, which houses 123 students, have been granted one final year's lease. They will be removed from the campus and sold after the 1974-75 academic year. A new set of apartments, designed to accomodate 100 students, will serve as replacement housing.
Photo by Trish Boeke
