Nursing School Orientation Offers Tips to New Students

Nursing instructor Jane Hentzen leads new students in a stress-reducing exercise. Photo by Lori Murray

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing offered new students a half day of advice and encouragement in an orientation session to open spring classes.

Convening the morning of Jan. 11, 2019, in the auditorium of the Agricultural, Food, and Life Sciences Building on the west side of the University of Arkansas campus in Fayetteville, students heard from top faculty the Friday before spring semester began.

Director of the school Susan Patton, Ph.D., gave the welcome then discussed “Locating Yourself” as well as reviewing resources that are available.

Instructor Bj Garrett reviewed study skills for nursing students.  Her outline emphasized:

• Understand the rationale behind developing and maintaining effective study skills
• Utilize study skills to build solid foundational knowledge
• Recognize and utilize steps to increase reading comprehension
• Understand the benefit of varied practice and retrieving from memory

Garrett in a separate session later that morning spoke on effective reading for comprehension, emphasizing reflection and retrieval of information.

EMSON instructor Jane Hentzen introduced aspects of mindfulness to help fight stress, meet challenges and promote learning. She reviewed mindfulness techniques and led a mindfulness exercise.

In the last workshop, clinical assistant professor Hope Ballentine, D.N.P., explored healthy lifestyles with the students. She sought for students to consider:

1. Differentiation between whole and processed foods
2. Five nutrient-dense snack options
3. How health is influenced by nutrition, sleep and physical activity
4. Two strategies for increasing sleep
5. Creating a realistic one-week eating/activity plan

Other faculty members assisting in the program were assistant director for undergraduate education and clinical assistant professor Lori Murray, D.N.P., and assistant director for undergraduate education and and program clinical coordinator Chris Young.