An April 7 Video Message from Dean Pam Cipriano

An April 7 message to the UVA School of Nursing community from Dean Pam Cipriano, with news about letters of attestation for 4th-year BSN students and 2nd-year CNL students, and well-wishes for all.

Transcript

PAMELA F CIPRIANO: Hi, everybody. We're in week three of our online second semester this year, and I know that everyone's adapting and being flexible. We've heard from some of you that it's not fun working from home and online, whether you're a student, faculty, or staff, and so we all feel your pain.

I know that some people are getting a little stir-crazy, and that's to be expected. I hope you're finding an outlet, whether it's hobbies at home, or just binge-watching your favorite TV shows late at night, or staying in touch with your classmates, your friends, co-workers, family, all of the above. Trying to find a way that best suits you in terms of adapting to, again, a new schedule, a new routine, and some of the additional stressors, if you will, of working online.

So everyone is in this together. We know that we will emerge on the other side of these changes doing just fine, being grateful when we finally can get back together face-to-face. One of the exciting changes, though, that I do want to let you know about, is that we have been able to look at what's going to be required in order to help our fourth-year BSN and second-year CNLs get paperwork all in order to be able to take the step to apply for their licensure, which will allow them to enter the workforce as soon as possible.

So even before the official graduation date, as everyone gets finished, the requirements, this semester, we've worked out a process to be able to send that information to the Board of Nursing, and then allow the students who are graduating to be able to expedite their applications. I want to thank Ryan Thomas for being the catalyst, and saying, you know, we're ready. We want to get out there in the workforce. Together with Mary Dixon, our chief nurse at the medical center, who's been very receptive.

So there's a lot more information to come about that. And then, also, we know that our faculty-- and particularly our advanced practice students-- have been working diligently to try to get their hours finished, with some amazing hurdles as clinical sites have shut down. So thank you, everyone, for your extraordinary efforts to get through this second semester, to be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

And I know that we'll do well. If there's any way that I can help, or anyone else, please just let us know. This is a time that we all want to be resilient. And I wish you well, and stay safe and healthy in your home. Thanks.