By Lois Thomson
“No way!” Dr. Mary McMullen was emphatic that she was not going to leave her position in acute care hospital nursing to move into nursing education. As she explained, she was a nurse manager at the time when somebody asked her about working in academia, “and I said, ‘no way, that had to be the most horrible thing I could think of to do in nursing.'”
However, Dr. McMullen now finds herself as BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) Program Director of the College of Nursing and Public Health at South University in West Palm Beach. What changed her mind? She admitted that after saying no, “I realized what an impact I could have with nursing students and within the community, so here we are!”
The path that led to “here” is one where Dr. McMullen said if she was going to go into academia, she wanted it to be at South University after meeting the students and seeing their preparation on her unit. She went on board as an adjunct doing clinicals, then became a full-time member of faculty. Then nine months ago, she was promoted to the Program Director position.
Dr. McMullen is currently in charge of the West Palm Beach BSN program, which she said is an accelerated program – the students are on campus for 21 months. The program is divided into 11-week quarters, with clinicals and classes mixed throughout the week. The students practice in hospitals, long-term acute care, along with such specialties as pediatric and mental health, “so they get first-hand access and training within all aspects of nursing. They also do community outreach programs, to give back to our community.”
Dr. McMullen’s responsibilities include “making sure all students are successful within our program and are professional, skilled, practicing registered nurses with integrity. Also, growing our program so we can have more nurses who are going to be our future healthcare providers.”
The success of the program is one of the things that pleases Dr. McMullen the most. “I’m absolutely thrilled that for the last two years we’ve had a 100 percent pass rate for graduating students taking the NCLEX.” She agreed that the program is rigorous, but added that while expectations are high for the students, “our team of amazing nursing educators has implemented things strategically to make sure our students are successful.” She mentioned tutoring outside of normal classroom hours, high-fidelity mannequins, and rooms and equipment that are available for use at all times, as long as a class isn’t occupying the space. “We’re giving them tools to be successful and are seeing that success quarter over quarter. They pass the NCLEX the first time, and most students are offered jobs before they graduate.” During senior clinicals they are being offered jobs in all areas of acute care nursing, including specialty areas (OB, ICU, ER, Pediatrics). She added that the majority of the graduates stay in the South Florida area.
Another advantage for the South University WPB nursing program is that it’s located in the same building or next door to the PA, AA, and PTA programs. “We get to collaborate with them just like nurses do in the hospital.”
Dr. McMullen confessed that her students’ success is what she likes best about her work. “Seeing them come in at the beginning when they’re very hesitant around the mannequins and very nervous, and then watching them grow to professionals – they have the training and professionalism and are able to make critical decisions and advocate for their patients. And seeing them transition and knowing they’re going to make a difference in hospitals – that’s probably my biggest reward. Also, the care and compassion they have for nursing and our patients is just amazing.”
She mentioned one graduate as an example of what she called a “full circle moment.” One of her first students at South University went through the BSN program, then received a masters in nursing, and just recently came back to be an instructor. “It is deeply rewarding to see our former students return to campus to take on instructional roles.”
In conclusion, Dr. McMullen is quite happy with the move she made. “While my professional journey began in the acute care clinical setting, my transition into nursing education has proven to be incredibly rewarding. Today, I find my greatest professional fulfillment in mentoring the next generation of nursing leaders and shaping the future of our profession.”
For more information, call (561) 273-6500 or visit www.southuniversity.edu/west-palm-beach.
