Nursing Department Huddles for student success
Delaware Technical Community College, Owens Campus Nursing Department has incorporated Nursing Huddles for nursing students and administration three times a semester to plan for student success.
Instructional Coordinator for Nursing Velma Norwood stresses teamwork.
“The huddle really emphasizes that nursing really is a team effort. You really have to be able to work in teams,” Norwood said.
Nursing Huddles were made possible by the joint efforts of the dean of instruction and nursing faculty to provide nursing students with the help they need.
Pamela C. Zickafoose, instructional director of the nursing department, said this was the idea of the dean.
“It originated from Dean of Instruction Bobbi Barends, and she calls the meetings. Velma does the coordination and the scheduling and the students are encouraged to attend the Nursing Huddles,” Zickafoose said.
The nursing program has a large enrollment in both the Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) and the Practical Nursing (PN) programs.
“We currently have about 280 students. It was very difficult to manage that amount of students, and hear all their concerns and take their concerns seriously. So we just wanted to make sure they understood that not only the faculty here, but the office of instruction was very concerned about their overall well-being,” Norwood said.
Huddles allows for the good and not so good concerns to be heard.
“Communication is vital in any organization, whether you’re a student or an employee, you have to be able to have open communication to express your pleasures and displeasures. It helps make the program more successful and it prepares the student better for real life,” Zickafoose said.
Nursing student Belinda Parsons could have enrolled in other nursing programs, but she chose Delaware Tech and considers herself to be part of a winning team.
“That got my attention, the huddle, because to me that means you’re concerned about my education and how I’m going to absorb it, where I’m going and what I need to do about it. I see more of a team here. Here I’m getting assistance,” Parsons said.
Nursing Huddles are working well for Owens, said Norwood.
“It’s just a student success measure that we’ve implemented and it’s worked well for us,” Norwood said.
Future Nursing Huddles will be March 9 at 11:30 a.m., March 14 at 6 p.m., April 13 at 11:30 a.m. and April 26 at 6 p.m.
For more information about the nursing program, contact Velma Norwood at (302) 259-6650 or email vnorwood@dtcc.edu.
Owens Campus Huddles Prepares Nursing Teams – From left to right, nursing student Belinda Parsons, Instructional Coordinator Velma Norwood and Director of Nursing Department Pamela C. Zickafoose.Photo by P. Starkey