Message from the President

Welcome to October!

I love the changes that this month brings. The crisp air, the gorgeous fall colors, everything pumpkin and apple-cinnamon flavored and store shelves filled with candy! It feels good, too, to be having an October where we are reconnected, with classes and activities. Even though we are still making some concessions due to COVID-19, the campuses are active and we are engaged with one another again. It feels great, doesn’t it?

Social media provides another layer of engagement when we can’t be together in person. If you use social media, please find and follow the College on:

• Facebook
• Instagram: @mccnedu
• Twitter: @mccnedu
• YouTube

Faculty and staff will be upping their engagement this month, too, during Faculty and Staff Development Week, October 11 – 15. Topics for workshops include Methodical Monday, Tech Tuesday, Wellness Wednesday, Interactive Thursday, and Apple Professional Learning Day. These professional development activities will help faculty and staff bring new and exciting energy and content to you in the classroom and at the college.

Admissions, too, is engaging with prospective students, through a series of virtual open houses. If you know of someone who is considering enrollment, please ask them to contact admissions@mccn.edu for more information about these events or if there is an interest in pursuing a career in nursing.

As always, I hope your studies are going well and that you are making progress every day toward making your professional dreams come true. Have an amazing October. Connect and engage at every opportunity!

Sincerely,

Kathleen Williamson, PhD, MSN, RN
President & Academic Dean, Mount Carmel College of Nursing

Senior Graduate Option

The Senior Graduate Option allows an eligible nursing student in their senior year of any baccalaureate nursing program (MCCN or other) the opportunity to begin work in graduate nursing. Students may complete one or two of the courses offered by MCCN for a maximum of six credit hours. If the student applies and is accepted in the MCCN Graduate Program, the course credit will be transferred, providing the grade is “B” or higher. Credit hours are in addition to the total credits required for the baccalaureate degree. Tuition is charged at the undergraduate non-clinical credit hour rate.

Students are eligible for this option if they are enrolled at the senior level in an accredited baccalaureate nursing program, have a cumulative GPA of 3.50 or higher, have satisfactorily completed undergraduate research and statistics courses, and have received approval from the MCCN Undergraduate and Graduate Associate Deans.

Eligible students may choose from the following graduate level courses: NURS 501 - Nursing Research and Evidence Based Practice, NURS 502 - Quality, Safety and Effectiveness of Nursing Care, NURS 503 - Theoretical Foundations of Nursing, or NURS 521 - Advanced Physiology/Pathophysiology.

Dr. Kim Campbell Hosts Building Inclusive Communities Forum

Kim Campbell, PhD, director of Admissions and Recruitment, hosted a forum at the Columbus Metropolitan Club to discuss how to build inclusive communities. The forum took place on September 29, and the participants included Richard Kahlenberg, director of K-12 Equity and Senior Fellow, The Century Foundation; Lori Ann Feibel, president, Bexley City Council; and Calvin Cooper, CEO and co-founder, Rhove. You can watch the video here.

Join the Graduate and DNP MCCN Facebook Group

This group provides a forum for current Graduate and DNP students at MCCN and is created and administered by MCCN staff. This group encourages interaction, discussion, comments, and questions.

If you would like to be added, send a request answering the required questions so we can confirm you are a current MCCN graduate student. You can access the group page here.

MCCN FNP Students Attend First Immersion

MCCN's Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) students have been hard at work this semester in their first and second Primary Care courses. This week, the students in Primary Care I are attending their first immersion. During this immersion experience, FNP students learn to perform wellness exams on female Standardized Patients, practice their prescribing skills, learn to suture, and read EKGs. In September, the Primary Care II students came to campus for their second immersion, in which they worked with Standardized Patient volunteers to practice their physical examination skills for male well visit exams. Many FNP students also elected to participate in training to learn to insert medical devices (see photo). The MCCN FNP program is proud to offer students these immersive experiences to learn hands-on clinical skills.

MCCN Student Swag Winners!

Congratulations to the following students who participated during National Suicide Awareness Prevention Week and had their names drawn to win MCCN swag!

• Alpha Traore
• Aaliyah Radcliff
• Calah Mwangi
• Ifrah Abdi
• Devon Ortiz
• Mikaela June
• Carrie Golden

Talking to someone who is suicidal can be scary, but it's such an important step in preventing suicides in our communities. The more we discuss suicide and talk about it openly, the more we reduce the stigma that surrounds it. By reducing stigma, people begin to feel more open about asking for help.

Digi-Know: Notes from you Instructional Designer

Digi-Know that iOS on iPad allows for the organization of apps on your home screen? By clicking and holding on to an app, you are able to activate Edit Mode and apps will begin to jiggle. In this mode, apps can be dragged around the screen to be reordered and placed in a new location. In addition to placing apps in a logical/memorable location, you can create folders to group apps together that are similar.

For example, you could place Google Docs, Google Sheets, Google Slides, and Google Drive in a single folder called Google. This reduces clutter and helps you quickly find apps and maintain productivity in any situation. To make a folder just drag one app on top of another (in edit mode) and iOS will automatically make a new folder. You can then name the folder and move the rest of the appropriate apps into that folder. Once completed, click “DONE” in the top right corner of your screen. If you want more information, visit Apple support or watch this i-Innovate Update.

Mental Health Minute

Let’s talk about sleep. Sleep can affect many aspects of our life including our metabolism, mood, memory and attention. Sleep is essential for people to function, though we tend to prioritize other things over our sleep. Sleep should always be a priority to keep up our mental health and maintain our level of functioning. This is especially important for those of us who are learning new information (i.e., everyone at MCCN). Our hippocampus can become impaired due to lack of sleep, and this can influence our memory processing. According to research by Havekes and Abel (2017), even a short period of sleep deprivation can cause memory issues. Here are a few tips to help you sleep:

1. Go to bed at a regular time every night.
2. Do not consume caffeine within 4-6 hours of sleep.
3. Limit or avoid naps during the day. If you must nap, keep it less than an hour.
4. Have a sleep ritual that you use every night to signal your brain for sleep.
5. Avoid the use of screens before bed. The blue light can impair your melatonin production.

If you continue to experience insomnia, please speak with your doctor for further medical recommendations.

References: Havekes, R., & Abel, T. (2017). The tired hippocampus: the molecular impact of sleep deprivation on hippocampal function. Current opinion in neurobiology, 44, 13-19.

Government of Western Australia . (2021). For clinicians. Center for Clinical Interventions. Retrieved September 28, 2021, from https://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/Resources/For-Clinicians.

MCCN-Lancaster Holds Holiday Progressive Dinner

On Thursday, September 2, the Lancaster campus celebrated the first part of their Holiday Progressive Dinner by spending Labor Day with freshmen students. A variety of appetizers and snack foods were provided, and students enjoyed some time getting to know one another, as well as the several faculty members who attended.

Safety & Security Update: Fall Crime Prevention Tips – “Button Up”

As summer comes to an end and we move into fall, many people start thinking about bringing out the jackets and enjoying the cooler weather. This is a good time to “button up” other parts of your life as well.

Button Up Your House

In the fall you might open the doors and windows to enjoy the cool breeze. Criminals are also looking for those cracked and open windows as an opportunity to steal your property. Remember when you are away from the house and at night to close and lock all doors, windows, interior and exterior garage doors. Set the alarm. Repair any outdoor lighting and add additional lighting, if possible.

Button Up Your Vehicles

Lock your vehicle doors and close the windows. Put belongings out of sight in your trunk or leave at home. Do not keep your vehicle keys hanging by the garage. Do not the leave garage opener in your vehicle; this gives the criminal access to your home.

Button Up Your Wallet or Purse

When going out, keep your wallet or purse within your control. Remember not to carry unnecessary personal information around with you like cards with your social security number on it.

Button Up Your Social Media

Don’t tell everyone that you are away from your house or where you are during the day. Don’t advertise your possessions and personal information. Criminals are reading your status, too.

Button Up Your Lips

Just because someone asks, whether by phone, email, or on social media, does not mean you have to give them your date of birth, address, phone number or any other personal information unless it is necessary.

Library Details

Remember, Your Library is here to help. You can connect with the Library from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday by:

• Visiting the Library – 3rd & 4th Floor of CLE – Badge Access Required
• E-mail: library@mchs.com
• Web chat at the Library site — Also, text to chat at 614-541-2224 (data rates may apply)
• Call 614-234-5214
• Take a Self-Directed Learning tutorial
• If you need help after hours, remember to visit the Library FAQ Page

Use Your Library at Home

As an MCCN student, you automatically have a Library account, which gives virtual access to electronic books and journals, databases and other online resources.

Library Login Credentials are:

• Username=Last Name
• Password=Student ID

If you are still having trouble logging in, please contact us, or visit here.