16 Nurses Complete AgeWISE Program; Next Cohort Begins in February

Navigating the AgeWISE Geropalliative Care Nurse Residency program during a pandemic continues to present challenges, but we prevailed!

Sixteen registered nurses graduated from the program on Dec. 16, 2021. These committed and flexible nurses from all four Methodist hospitals and Dunklau Gardens represented numerous nursing units and departments. 

The December graduates are (pictured below):

Stephanie Bricker
Jill Broekemeier
Antonia Brune
Ann Clipp
Stephanie Coats
Amber Galvan
Naomi Jones
Nicole Kavanagh (not pictured)
Hayden Kilgore
Kristin Lange
Elizabeth Luce
Dakota McCormick
Kristen Moravek
Cameryn Stangl
Jarah Weeks
Mary Ann Wheatley

AgeWISE at Methodist

Methodist Health System has over 200 AgeWISE nurses who have graduated from the program, and the system continues to be a national leader in AgeWISE, graduating more nurses than any of the original hospitals selected for the program in 2010. 

AgeWISE is a four-month specialty nurse residency program in collaboration with Nebraska Methodist College that promotes the crucial role nurses play in enhancing the hospital experience for older patients and their families, Hilary Applequist, DNP, APRN-NP, NP-C, ACHPN, represents the college and is also a palliative care medicine provider at Methodist Hospital.

AgeWISE nurses report gaining enhanced knowledge in geropalliative care to provide more specific and sensitive care to their patients, as well as a sense of empowerment and increased confidence when having difficult conversations related to geropalliative care with patients, families and physicians.   

Looking Ahead

Interested in the AgeWISE program? The next cohort begins in February 2022.

Nurses in the program are required to take a professional nursing certification six months after they graduate. Nurses enrolled in a BSN, MSN or DNP program have one year to sit for certification. Methodist Hospital Foundation supports funding for nurse certifications. Nurses can also take advantage of the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s (ANCC) Success Pays program for selected certifications supported by Methodist. Certification demonstrates a nurse’s commitment to the profession and lifelong learning. ANCC certification provides evidence to the public and the profession of the strength of nurses’ knowledge and contributes to improved patient care. 

More Information

For more information, email Deborah.Conley@nmhs.org or Hilary.Applequist@methodistcollege.edu.