We attempted an experiment this semester: A Social Media class that would allow you to connect with your fellow classmates in a virtual sense – over Facebook, Twitter and with Blogs – and in a real sense by sharing your stories of progress through high school and aspirations for careers in health care, especially as nurses. I certainly had much to learn about this technology! More importantly, you made strides in becoming more of a supportive rather than merely a complaining group. Individually you made personal gains — braving public speaking during our storytelling sessions, while those who were more outgoing attempted to include quieter classmates in the conversation. These gains contributed toward our ideal of building a community, and are to be commended.

Without question, there was also need for improvement. Although the schedule for postings was provided during the first weeks of class, too many of you waited until the very end, in some cases, the final week to submit the required assignments. Everyone was required to write a combination of Blogs, Facebook posts, or Tweets – 5-6 in total. Thus the work was shared among the 16 who started the class over 12 weeks of the semester. Keeping the burden within easy limits relative to the difficult science courses you were managing was our objective. Developing your writing skills as well as using social media as a professional tool were part of our academic agenda. While our outreach to younger students was limited, we did have a small following among more advanced students. We also integrated sessions on study skills, time management and an update on what you could anticipate in year two of the Nursing program in a lunch with the dean. In other words, this class was a continuation of the resources that the Pathways program has put at your disposal. Still, further reminders to insure your success in a one credit pass or fail course were too often met with the procrastination and excuses that you wrote about overcoming in your written statements.

Ultimately, this course was a measure of your ability to grasp the reality of deadlines; to honor your commitments; and to begin to own your personal integrity and maturity. Going forward, it is unlikely that you will have an opportunity to try out new skills in such a supportive setting with such minimal demands as this class provided. Congratulations to those who took advantage of this opportunity by being responsive and responsible. I hope that all of you have learned valuable lessons that will advance you toward your personal and career goals.

Peace and Success,
Dr. Delores M. Walters

In today’s society, it is very important for a nurse to speak various languages in order to interact with patients of different nations. When patients see familiar faces, and cultures, it helps them open up and feel comfortable with their nurse.It allows the patient to express their reason for visiting the hospital/doctors’ office, and most importantly it allows the nurse to properly care for and understand his/her patient. Knowing more than one language allows the nurse to meet new faces, be presented with new cultures and in the long run gain more knowledge. Darilina Firpo

I am a college freshman and studying nursing at the University of Rhode Island. I have always had a passion to be a nurse ever since I was 8, because both my mother and sister are my role models who are also nurses. I enjoy helping people and putting a smile on their faces. Two summers ago I worked at the hospital so I could get hands on experience of what it would be like to work in the medical field. Coming to URI and being in the Pathways program has really helped me in furthering my future career in Pediatric Nursing.

Over the spring vacation, my little sister fell ill with a high temperature as well as a severe sore throat. It was about 10 pm, as my father and I were driving her to the Hasbro Children’s Hospital. Kaziah complained that her body was hot and aching. When we arrived at the emergency check in, I saw how busy it was and also how nurses and CNAs were walking around the desks holding files and papers that contained the patient’s information. I watched and listened closely how nurses check patients in, and also how nurses interact with children. When a Registered Nurse asked my sister how badly her body was hurting, she pulled out her badge, telling Kaziah to pick a number from 1 to 10 (10 being the worst). By the nurse doing this, she could tell how much a child was sick or in pain. I love the working environment, and how busy it was. I absolutely love children and hope to work in a children’s hospital when I become a Registered Nurse!
Edeltraut Asante

One’s first year of college is a life changing experience that alters the attitudes, work ethic, and perspective of almost everyone who goes through it. Beginning with the academic rigor and social immersion that student’s must adjust to to become successful, students will also learn through experience what they truly value and what they have strengths in. As a current freshman preparing herself for the last two weeks of the year, I have been able to reflect upon everything about this year that has shaped me into who I am. I have discovered what it means to have true friends, I have discovered what it means to put in a true effort to earn something I want, and I have learned to not be afraid to do anything to achieve my dreams. I believe that freshman year is a time where the individuals become themselves, and learn how to live their own life. I also believe that it takes a great amount of guidance, advise, and mentoring to get to that point. That is why next year I will be a URI 101 mentor for Pre-Health and Pre-Dental students next year as they undergo the many trials and tribulations that make Freshman year all that it is.
–Portia Burnette

My first Chapter of College
As freshmen in college and majoring in nursing, I knew that that it was going to be a very tough area of study because of all the science and math classes that are required. Being in the Pathways program was a valued opportunity that I knew I would not let pass. In high school, my guidance counselor talked to me about this program pertaining to receiving credits before getting admitted to college. But when I came to orientation to make a class schedule, Debby Brown was able to give me an overview of the program, and I liked what she had to say. She then put me on the list of pathway students. As a Pathways Scholar I find that this program has helped me to schedule my time for classes, study and social life. I am now organized because of it. I like having classes that include only the Pathways Scholars. We can do more hands on things, have more one on one time with professors if we need help and it is just a great atmosphere because of the faculty, mentors and others who are behind us showing support. Towards the middle of the first semester I was beginning to get discouraged due to all the work that was coming in. Being new to college, being in Pathways, involved in a dance group and working two jobs, it was all just overwhelming. At first, I wanted to quit and change majors, but I knew that was not what I really wanted to do. I did not want to be a quitter and Pathways was giving me such a great opportunity that I did not want to waste. Because of this program I knew that quitting was not an option. Because of Pathways I know that I will be able to reach my career goals.

-Jayne Olivo

I am interested in spending my summer next year overseas in Compiegne, France. URI has opened up a new opportunity for its students to study in a French Film Program during the summer. The idea of living in France; communicating and practicing my French with the natives; and making friends both French and American while making a film just gets me so excited. I do not know if I will be able to go because of the cost of the program and transportation. URI French Film Program cost $3, 9992 and airfare is not included. However, I would love to take advantage of this opportunity. The summer abroad will start June 27 – July 15. For more information visit www.uri.edu/international/France.
Post by: Jas

Over the spring vacation, my little sister fell ill with a high temperature as well as a severe sore throat. It was about 10 pm, as my father and I were driving her to the Hasbro Children’s Hospital. She complained that her body was hot and aching. When we arrived at the emergency check it, I saw how busy it was and also how nurses and CNAs were walking around the desks holding files and papers that contained the patient’s information. I watched and listened closely how nurses check patients in, and also how nurses interact with children. When a Registered Nurse asked my sister how badly her body was hurting, the nurse pulled out her badge, telling her to pick a number from 1 to 10 (10 being the worst) with facial expression. By the nurse doing this, it shows the nurses how much the children was sick or in pain. I loved working environment, and how busy it was. I absolutely love children and hope to work in a children’s hospital when I become a Registered Nurse!
Edeltraut Asante

As I progress through the semester I am starting to see that different classes require different methods of studying. There are also classes that require more time than others. For example, last semester, in anatomy, the main focus was on memorization. We had to memorize many terms and definitions. We had to know the functions of certain parts of the body. We did not have to know how they work. Physiology is different. We have to know the functions and we have to know how they work and we have to be able to draw connections between the concepts. Simple memorization is enough to succeed in physiology. A similar class is psychology. The tests are based on hypothetical situations. The questions don’t consist of simple definitions, but concepts and theories that we have to understand. We have to modify our study habits to match the requirements for each class. -Lissa

We are halfway through the spring semester and the fall is slowly approaching. We will start taking classes with all the other nursing students. Before, we had some specialized classes that were only for Pathways but now we are on our own. The specialized classes were smaller because they consisted only of Pathways students. We also received tutoring every week. The fall semester will be our most challenging semester so far at URI. Before, we only had 12 credits but now we have 16 and some of us will even have 19. It is a really dramatic difference. I expect to spend a lot of time studying and preparing for my classes and I expect to have much less free time than I do now. However, I am excited because I will get to experience what the regular nursing students go through. I want to know if I will still be able to succeed even with the extra course load. I am ready to challenge myself. -Lissa