Welcome and Introductory Remarks
Mary Elizabeth Doyle-Tadduni, PhD, MBA, RN, Division Head, Division of Nursing and Associate Professor of Nursing, Wharton Executive Fellow, DeSales University

Introduction of Nursing Alumni Panel and Moderator
Wendy J. Robb, PhD, RN, CNE, Dean & Professor, School of Nursing, Hazel & Walter May Endowed Chair for Excellence in Nursing, Cedar Crest College

Panel
Yasmin Glennon, BSN, RN, ‘20 DeSales University
Sarah Harshaw, BSN, RN, ’19 Moravian University
Erin Rooney, BSN, RN, ’20 Cedar Crest College

Moderators
Tricia Bernecker, PhD, RN, Associate Professor of Nursing, Division of Nursing, DeSales University
Karen Groller, PhD, RN, CV-BC, CMSRN, Assistant Professor, First-Year Writing Co-Coordinator, Moravian University, Helen S. Breidegam School of

Nursing and Public Health
Introduction of Faculty Panel and Moderators
Wendy J. Robb, PhD, RN, CNE, Dean & Professor, School of Nursing, Hazel & Walter May Endowed Chair for Excellence in Nursing, Cedar Crest College

Panel
Sandra Axt, MSN, RN, CCRN, Senior Instructor of Nursing, School of Nursing, RN-BSN Advisor, Cedar Crest College
Elise Colancecco, PhD, RN, Assistant Professor, Moravian University, Helen S. Breidegam School of Nursing and Public Health
Deborah L. Whittaker, Ed.D., MSN, RN, RNC-MNN, Associate Professor of Clinical Nursing, Chair of Undergraduate Nursing Programs, Division of Nursing, DeSales University

Moderators
Natalie Cyphers, PhD, RN, Associate Professor of Nursing, Director of Accelerated BSN Programs, Division of Nursing, DeSales University
Mae Ann Pasquale, PhD, RN, Associate Professor, School of Nursing, Cedar Crest College

Wellness Nuggets
Pam Adamschick, PhD, PMHCNS-BC, Associate Professor, Moravian University, Helen S. Breidegam School of Nursing and Public Health
Todd Hastings, PhD, RN, CNE, Assistant Professor, School of Nursing, Cedar Crest College
Karen Peterson, MSN, RN, PMHCNS-BC, PMHNP-BC, Assistant Professor of Nursing, Director of ACCESS, Division of Nursing, DeSales University

Closing Remarks
Dawn M. Goodolf, PhD, RN, Chairperson of Nursing and Public Health, Associate Professor, Moravian University, Helen S. Breidegam School of Nursing and Public Health

In a year that marked the 200th anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth and one that was designated as the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife, 2020 was also filled with unprecedented challenges across the nursing profession. College campuses closed, and the disruption of face-to-face instruction required faculty to quickly redesign courses to ensure learning outcomes were met and students would successfully graduate, adequately prepared to enter the nursing workforce.

A year into the pandemic, the effects of COVID-19 continue to impact healthcare systems and staff. No one could have anticipated that one year later there would be nearly 26,000 deaths just in Pennsylvania, 567,000 deaths in the U.S. and nearly 3 million worldwide.1 Healthcare workers, especially nurses have been working long hours under strenuous conditions and recent research suggests that half of nurses on the frontlines feel emotionally overwhelmed 2 and depression, anxiety and even suicidal ideations among nurses are on the rise. 3,4

To prepare for this symposium, we invite all participants to view Death, Through a Nurse’s Eyes*, a 15-minute documentary recently featured in the New York Times. This short film, although difficult to process at times, provides a raw and realistic account of what it’s like to be a nurse today caring for critically ill COVID patients. Although, the future of the nursing profession is forever changed with this pandemic, the highly skilled care, resilience, and compassion portrayed by these frontline nurses are evident. *https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KR4ifeGxdQw

Moving forward, it is imperative to educate and empower future nurses to be knowledgeable and empathetic caregivers. Promoting opportunities for reflection and implementing adequate support and strategies is crucial for building a nursing workforce that is capable of responding to future health crises.

During this two-hour virtual event, a panel of nursing alumni and faculty from Cedar Crest College, DeSales University, and Moravian University reflected on their personal perceptions as experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. The event wrapped-up by sharing resources on ways to build resilience and incorporate self-care habits into our everyday lives.

Objectives
To gain an understanding of the perceptions and understandings of new nurses and faculty as experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Identify self-care strategies to promote mental health and well-being during and beyond this pandemic.

References

Pennsylvania Department of Health. (2021). Covid-19 data for Pennsylvania. Retrieved at https://www.health.pa.gov/topics/disease/coronavirus/Pages/Cases.aspx

American Nurses Association (2020). New pulse on the nation’s nurses survey series: Half of frontline nurses emotionally overwhelmed by COVID-19. Retrieved at https://www.nursingworld.org/news/news-releases/2020/new-pulse-on-the-nations-nurses-survey-series-half-of-frontline-nurses-emotionally-overwhelmed-by-covid-19/

Caillet, A., Coste, C., Sanchez, R., & Allaouchiche, B. (2020). Psychological impact of COVID-19 on ICU caregivers. Anesthesia Critical Care & Pain Medicine, 39(6), 717-722.

Lai, J., Ma, S., Wang, Y., Cai, Z., Hu, J., Wei, N., … & Hu, S. (2020). Factors associated with mental health outcomes among health care workers exposed to coronavirus disease 2019. JAMA Network Open, 3(3), e203976-e203976.