Daisy graduated from Delta with an associateās degree in nursing, but it wasnāt until she was working on her bachelorās degree and mentoring other Delta students during their hospital rotations that she found her true calling.
āOne of the faculty at the university told me that I have a love for this, a drive for this, and an ability to share different learning experiences,ā Daisy says. āI realized that was very true. I went and started working on my masterās right after I finished my bachelorās and I was hired here at Delta.ā
And working at Delta was like coming home.
āAt Delta, everybody is part of a family, and we all take care of each other,ā she says. āThe culture is about the students and what we can do to make our students successful.ā
Success doesnāt seem to be a problem at Delta, where year after year, nursing students have passed their āboardsā (licensing certification examinations) at a rate higher than the national average. Many of them go on to universities, such as SVSU, with which Delta has a concurrent-enrollment partnership, to earn a bachelorās degree. Many others are hired by local hospitals where they complete their leadership semester.
āThe nurse managers are always like, āHey, do you have any more students?ā They love our students,ā says Daisy.
Hands On, Hearts In
According to Daisy, there has been a lot of change over the last decade in nursing. The patients that come into the hospital now are often much sicker and their conditions are much more complex. Delta has responded with updated technology and simulations, including patient āmanikinsā that talk, blink and even āgive birth.ā These simulations offer students hands-on opportunities to learn ā and sometimes fail ā in a safe environment.
āWe have an excellent simulation lab that allows our students to practice and practice before they go out into the real world, and get those nerves out,ā says Daisy. āIf they make a mistake, they learn from it. It gives them the confidence to go into a real patientās room and care for them.ā
Students also spend 147 hours in a real clinical setting, taking care of real patients and interacting with physicians, under supervision.
āI have the best gig in the whole world. I love teaching ā every minute. Just the smiles that I see, the head nods saying, āI get it.ā Itās awesome!ā
Associate Professor of Nursing
Daisy tells the story of one student who started out with very little confidence.
Daisy met with her every week to talk through her questions. As the weeks went by,
she proudly watched the young studentās confidence grow.
āWhen my students come to my class on the very first day, I want them to know Iām their guide. Iām here to help them reach their dream and be who they want to be,ā says Daisy. āThey have excellent opportunities to grow here.ā
Are you interested in starting a career in the nursing field? 51ĀŅĀ×ās nursing program is the perfect place to start. Apply now.
