Duke Energy Partners With UCBA Nursing Program

Duke Energy representatives Warren Walker (second from right) and Casey Ruschman (far right) present a check for $7,600 to Professor Carla Henderson, Chair of the UCBA Nursing Department.  Also looking on are UCBA Dean Cady Short-Thompson (far left) and Dr. Jennifer Ellis, UCBA Nursing professor (second from left).

Duke Energy is providing the UC Blue Ash College Nursing Department with a $7,600 grant that is intended to help transform the way students learn. 

The grant is part of the Utilizing Nursing and Technology in Education (UNITE) Project developed by the college.  Faculty in the Nursing Department will collaborate with the University of Cincinnati College of Nursing for training on the use of iOS apps that allow professors to build courses and provide instruction to students on the Apple platform. 

Carla Henderson, Chair of the UC Blue Ash Nursing Department, says iOS apps like Nursing Central are making a real impact in nursing education.  “They are changing the way we teach students in the classroom, our simulation labs, and clinical rotations by providing additional tools that help support student success.” 

Henderson says that all Nursing students at UC Blue Ash will eventually be required to have an iPad mini.  She adds that this initiative is part of the overall preparation for students as health care continues to be more technologically advanced. 

“When you go into a hospital, everything is electronic, from the health records to medication administration.  Bringing new technological tools like iPad and new learning applications into the classroom will really help our students as they prepare to enter the nursing profession.”

For Duke Energy, the grant is an opportunity to support education, a valued community partner, and future growth.  “We realize that a strong, highly-skilled workforce is very attractive for companies that might be considering a move to Greater Cincinnati, so this grant supports the next generation of health care providers as well as our economic development initiatives,” said Warren Walker, with Community and Government Relations for Duke Energy.   

Incorporating new technology into the Nursing program will also help UC Blue Ash better align with the UC College of Nursing in Clifton, which is using iPads and iOS apps in its undergraduate and Doctor of Nursing courses.  Late last year the College of Nursing was named an Apple Distinguished Program for its innovative uses of technology in nurse education.

Nursing students at UC Blue Ash are prepared for a career as a registered nurse (RN).  Some graduates go directly into the workforce, while others transition to the UC campus in Clifton to pursue their Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). 

Dr. Jennifer Ellis, UC Blue Ash Nursing professor (left), watches as nursing students demonstrate treatment to a patient simulator for Duke representatives Casey Ruschman (2nd from left) and Warren Walker (center).