Practice approaches perfection – as long as you’re practicing based on the best scientific evidence. For the past 50 years, the College of Nursing at The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) has focused on doing just that.
To celebrate this half century of nursing excellence and to promote investment in the future of nursing education, the college will host the Golden Gala on Saturday, April 5, at The Jackson Center, 6001 Moquin Drive NW. The reservation deadline is Friday, March 28, and tickets are available at uah.edu/nursing/gala-tickets. UAH is a part of The University of Alabama System.
“The Golden Gala celebrates 50 years of nursing education, honoring the profound impact that highly educated and compassionate nurses have made in our community,” said Dr. Karen Frith, dean, College of Nursing.
Supporters – alumni, faculty, staff, students, friends – are invited to enjoy an elegant evening of dining and dancing plus plenty of laughs from local improv group Open to Suggestions. Doors will open at 6 p.m. with the event starting at 6:30. Attire is black tie optional.
Along with the fun, the Golden Gala has a serious purpose: raising funds to purchase a Laerdal MamaAnne, an advanced obstetrics simulator, to replace the aging model in the college’s Simulation and Learning Innovation Center (SLIC).
“Our SLIC enhances hands-on learning and bridges the gap from classroom to clinical practice for nursing students,” Frith said.
A birthing manikin or simulator is an essential part of nursing education because it’s hard to predict what will happen in a delivery room. This machine replicates the anatomy and physiology of a pregnant patient, enabling students to practice and refine childbirth procedures in the safety of a classroom environment without risking real patient outcomes. When those students become nurses and face real obstetric emergencies, they will have the confidence and competence that comes from experience.
A nursing student at The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) College of Nursing practices on a volunteer disaster victim in the college’s Simulation and Learning Innovation Center (SLIC) during the annual disaster simulation drill on Nov. 15, 2024.
Michael Mercier | UAH
SLIC is a 10,615-square-foot state-of-the-art facility with a 16-bed hospital lab, 16-table assessment room, collaboration stations, four advanced practice provider clinical examination rooms, a telehealth room, a Pyxis medication room, and debriefing rooms.
It provides a mock hospital for clinical experiences, including seven high-fidelity simulation laboratories with digital video and audio management systems, four medical-surgical suites, an ICU suite, and an obstetric/pediatric four-bed laboratory.
“The accredited SLIC provides the expertise of our certified simulation educators to guide the development of simulations that follow the best practices in education,” Frith said. “We also offer the space to teach and assess the competencies of medical students, residents and practicing nurses for our colleagues at the UAB Heersink School of Medicine Huntsville Regional Medical Campus, Crestwood Medical Center and local health care facilities.”
After 50 years of producing graduates committed to high-quality, compassionate, thoughtful care, the UAH College of Nursing faculty, staff and students remain committed to the highest standards. They also have their sights set on innovations and initiatives aimed at ensuring that North Alabama remains a wonderful place to live, work, play and raise a family.
“This is an exciting time at the College of Nursing,” said Dr. Helen Lien, senior development officer, College of Nursing. “Just look at some of what we accomplished in the last few years alone: first, and only, of its kind Accelerated BSN program, 100% first-time National Council Licensure Examination pass rate for two consecutive years, and internationally recognized accreditation for simulation facilities and experiences.”
The College of Nursing is driving innovation, Lien pointed out, by also incorporating “a forward-thinking approach to student experiences such as interdisciplinary senior design teams to develop technology to assist adults living with autism. We’re also developing rural health protocols using drones to deliver life-saving medicine and pursuing corporate research and development partnerships in augmented reality/virtual reality technology.”
More than 8,000 UAH alumni have graduated from the nursing program since its inception. The Alabama Legislature established the UAH School of Nursing in 1971, and the first students were admitted to the professional nursing curriculum for fall 1972. In 1974, the National League of Nursing granted the initial accreditation to the nursing baccalaureate program, which graduated its first class of 36 students that year.
Over the last half century, the College of Nursing has made great strides by adding academic programs and advanced degrees and by incorporating cutting-edge technologies like those found in SLIC. But, Frith noted, the most important aspect of the program remains the human touch.
“The key is teaching students to develop their clinical judgment and decision-making skills to deliver safe nursing care,” she said. “Nursing is the most trusted profession because nurses touch the lives of their patients and families when they are vulnerable. Most people who have been in the hospital would agree that their strongest memories are of their nurses because nurses make them feel safe and are the critical link among the health care team.”
For more information on the UAH College of Nursing, visit uah.edu/nursing.
Golden Gala Tickets