WAU Nursing Program: New Prospects and Partnerships for 2023-2024
Written by: Patrick Scriven
Recent developments in the Nursing Department have become a source of excitement and optimism among students and faculty.
On March 24, 2023, the board of the Versacare Foundation, an independent foundation dedicated to serving Seventh-day Adventist institutions with financial grants, approved a $6,000 grant for Washington Adventist University to purchase respiratory training equipment to improve patient outcomes for individuals with COVID-19, the flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
The nursing program is also in the process of obtaining a free state-issued ventilator. The ventilator will give nursing students a comprehensive respiratory learning experience.
In addition to acquiring new equipment, WAU’s nursing program has forged remarkable partnerships with Howard University Hospital and Holy Cross Hospital. These collaborations offer WAU nursing students invaluable clinical learning experiences at prestigious institutions with rich historical backgrounds.
With over 50 countries represented, WAU’s nursing program attracts a diverse crowd of students, bringing a unique richness to the learning environment. Nursing Department Director Dr. Tijuana Griffin highlights the promising career prospects awaiting WAU nursing graduates—particularly international students who require sponsorship once their student visa expires.
“Adventist Healthcare has opportunities because they have an international nurse recruiter now,” Dr. Griffin said. “Advent Health in Florida also comes here for recruitment, and they, too, offer international support for individuals who need work after their [student visa expires].”
Gabriel Moraes, a senior nursing and music major and a member of WAU’s Honors College, is one of many students who plan to stay within the Adventist system after graduation.
Moraes says the best part about being a nursing major at WAU is that “since the beginning of the program, you’re exposed to what it means to live the life of a nurse. You go to hospitals, and you’re there during clinicals twice a week … you get to follow the nurses and learn what it’s like to take care of patients. It’s a very raw experience.”
When asked about what she would say to prospective nursing students, Dr. Griffin responded without hesitation: “I think we’re one of the best places there is. You can get a nursing degree at multiple schools throughout the metropolitan area. But, there aren’t many schools like WAU … that have the uniqueness of the three angels message and the health message … I feel like that, in itself, puts us in a different light.”