Missouri State College-West Plains (MSU-WP) will begin the brand new yr with a brand new chief for its nursing and allied well being applications.
Amy Ackerson, who has led the division since 2009, stepped down because the dean of allied well being and nursing Dec. 16 to grow to be the schooling director/nurse supervisor on the Missouri State Board of Nursing (MSBN). She begins her new duties Jan. 3, 2023.
Lisa Wade, who has been with the nursing division almost 10 years, has been appointed interim dean of allied well being and nursing and can take over these duties Jan. 1, 2023.
“Amy has been an incredible chief for our allied well being and nursing division,” mentioned Dr. Michael Orf, vice chancellor of educational affairs. “Throughout her time as its chief, the division has seen super progress with the growth of the nursing program to incorporate the LPN-to-RN bridge program. As well as, two new applications – well being info expertise and neighborhood behavioral well being help – have been added to serve the wants of the neighborhood. Amy will likely be missed, each as a pacesetter within the division and as a campus chief.”
Extra About Ackerson
Ackerson joined MSU-WP’s nursing school as a lecturer Aug. 18, 2008, and was appointed as teacher June 1, 2012. She was granted tenure Aug. 10, 2015, and was promoted to assistant professor Aug. 14, 2017. She started serving because the division chair of allied well being and nursing in 2012 and was named affiliate dean in 2020. In August, she was named dean.
MSU-WP’s nursing and allied well being applications grew tremendously throughout Ackerson’s tenure. New applications similar to well being info expertise have been created, and present applications just like the common RN observe and the LPN-to-RN observe nursing applications have been expanded. All applications noticed enchancment in ongoing optimistic outcomes. Ackerson credit your entire allied well being and nursing workforce for these accomplishments.
“Proper now, the challenge I’m most happy with is the web LPN-to-RN bridge program,” she mentioned. “It was very a lot slightly concept that, with the fitting folks in place, has exploded with demand and potential. I’m additionally very happy with the division’s capability to suppose exterior the field and create modern options which are pupil centered. Not all nursing applications have embraced immediately’s learner like this system at MSU-WP.
“Our best accomplishment in my tenure has been to develop a tradition within the nursing program that no different program has. Now we have a caring, second-chances-work mentality,” Ackerson mentioned. “Whereas we now have insurance policies, we additionally perceive that our college students are distinctive. To show a occupation of caring, we now have to mannequin an environment of caring. I feel we exemplify that extra immediately than ever earlier than, and Lisa Wade is the only option to proceed this tradition within the division.”
Extra About Wade
Wade echoed that target caring in her imaginative and prescient for the division’s future. “I need to foster the success and progress of the nursing and allied well being applications. My focus will likely be centered round pupil success, school and employees help, and neighborhood partnerships.
“I feel particular person school members will develop and additional develop of their areas of power and keenness,” she added. “Teamwork and collaboration will likely be important to our continued success. And I feel program growth, whereas persevering with to supply prime quality schooling, is all the time a objective.”
The addition of the brand new lecture corridor and hospital simulation lab at Looney Corridor, which homes the allied well being and nursing applications, will present new studying alternatives to college students and the neighborhood by offering the area wanted to extend pupil enrollment, Wade defined.
“I’ve a real ardour and love for nursing and well being care,” Wade mentioned. “I like having the ability to foster the schooling of our future nurses and well being care employees, who in flip will give again to our neighborhood.
“I’m extraordinarily humbled to be thought-about for this place,” she added. “I’ve quite a lot of delight in working for the college. I’m happy with the college’s position in our neighborhood, and I’m excited to proceed to be part of it transferring ahead.”
Wade first joined the nursing school as an teacher on Aug. 13, 2012. She was promoted to assistant professor and obtained tenure on Aug. 14, 2017. She resigned from the college Dec. 31, 2019, however was rehired as scientific assistant professor on Aug. 16, 2021.
“A number of excellent school members have been employed throughout Amy’s tenure as division chief, together with Lisa Wade,” Orf mentioned. “Lisa will function interim dean over the following yr. We really feel that the division is in good fingers below Lisa’s management.”
Ackerson’s New Place
In her new position with the MSBN, Ackerson will advise, monitor and consider compliance of nursing applications to state laws as outlined within the nurse observe acts of Missouri. She additionally will present regulatory steerage to all nursing applications in any respect ranges within the state.
Whereas she is worked up about this new alternative, Ackerson mentioned she’s going to miss her MSU-WP coworkers and college students tremendously.
“I’ve had the pleasure of creating essentially the most fantastic relationships with all the school and employees by means of the years, and it has been extraordinarily troublesome to say goodbye to them,” she mentioned. “MSU-WP is presented with a employees that’s modern, clever and really sort. The scholars make every single day value it and make the job not really feel like work. To see college students succeed is a sense that solely an educator can perceive. It’s a thrill.
“I doubt I’ll ever discover one other work neighborhood that’s this cohesive and superb,” she added. “I can’t consider I had the privilege to work right here every single day. It was a blessing to me in one million alternative ways. Thanks for believing in me and my foolish concepts!”
