14 Nurses Complete AgeWISE Program; Conley Honored for Commitment to Program

Fourteen registered nurses graduated from the AgeWISE geropalliative care nurse residency program on June 8 as a part of Methodist’s 20th cohort. These committed and flexible nurses, representing numerous nursing units and departments, are from all four Methodist hospitals, Dunklau Gardens and Methodist Fremont Health Hospice and Home Health Services. 

AgeWISE, a collaborative program with Methodist Hospital and Nebraska Methodist College, is a four-month specialty nurse residency program that promotes the crucial role nurses play in enhancing the hospital experience for older patients and their families. Methodist Health System has over 200 AgeWISE nurses and continues to be a national leader in AgeWISE, graduating more nurses than any of the original hospitals selected for the program in 2010.

In recognition of the 20th cohort graduation, Deborah Conley was honored for her vision, tenacity and commitment to excellence in nursing. She is the driving force behind AgeWISE and has mentored over 300 nurses through the program – which has led to countless patients’ and families’ lives being touched. 

AgeWISE nurses are required to take a professional nursing certification exam six months after they graduate. Nurses enrolled in a BSN, MSN or DNP program have one year to sit for certification. The Methodist foundations support 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 while contributing to improved patient care. 

AgeWISE nurses report gaining enhanced knowledge in geropalliative care to provide more specific and sensitive care to patients, as well as a sense of empowerment and increased confidence when having difficult conversations with patients, families and physicians related to geropalliative care. AgeWISE uses the Age-Friendly 4Ms Model of Care – focusing on What Matters to the older adult, Medications, Mentation and Mobility.  

The next AgeWISE cohort begins on Aug. 25. For more information, email Deborah.Conley@nmhs.org or Hilary.Applequist@methodistcollege.edu.
 

The June graduates are (pictured below):

Jill Beckstrom
Amanda Bedel
Lisa Clark
Jessie Ferris 
Jordan Gilfry
Stefanie Hegner
Kami Houser
Olfa Khayati
Steffani Lemos 
Hanna Marvin
Amy Rapp
Alane Reuter
Jenae Romaire
Danay Vaughan (not pictured)