麻豆精品

Dr. Ashley Cole鈥檚 story at Carlow began long before she stepped into a leadership role. She first arrived on campus in 2004 as a nursing student, drawn to a profession she had imagined for herself since childhood. 

鈥淚t was kind of the clich茅 response,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 something I wanted to do ever since I was a little kid. I鈥檝e always been a caring person, always wanting to take care of people.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

What she found at 麻豆精品 made it easy to stay. After earning her Bachelor of Science in Nursing, she continued on for her master鈥檚 and doctorate, eventually returning as a faculty member. Today, as Program Director of Undergraduate Nursing, she leads the same program that shaped her. 

鈥淎s a student, you felt so supported,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd that鈥檚 how I want all of my students to feel.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

A Community Built on Support 

That sense of support is not incidental. It is built into the structure and culture of the program. 

Although it varies by semester, the student-to-faculty ratio in Carlow鈥檚 BSN program is around 8:1, allowing students to form close relationships with their instructors. For Dr. Cole, that connection begins with something simple. 鈥淏eing able to just pop into my office without an appointment,鈥� she said, 鈥渢hat really shows how comfortable students feel and how approachable we are.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

Those relationships extend beyond coursework. Students visit looking for help with assignments, but also for reassurance and mentorship: 鈥淚 want them to feel like they can come to me with anything. Not just a nursing course question, but for advice, for guidance.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

Growing Through the Experience 

That support becomes especially important as students move through the demands of the program. Many arrive straight from high school, excited but unsure of what lies ahead. The first year introduces them to the academic rigor of nursing, laying the foundation for what is to come. 

As they progress into their sophomore and junior years, the pace intensifies. Students begin applying their knowledge in simulation labs and clinical settings, learning to translate theory into practice. 

鈥淲e鈥檙e not just treating them like they鈥檙e here to take courses and go home,鈥� said Dr. Cole. 鈥淲e鈥檙e really supporting them, making sure they feel welcome, they feel guided.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

鈥淵ou see them day one, year one, when聽they鈥檙e聽frustrated and feel defeated, like, 鈥楥an I really do this?鈥欌�澛爏he聽continued. 鈥淎nd then you see them in their senior year, preparing for graduation, accepting jobs.聽Just seeing how much聽they鈥檝e聽come in that short four-year聽period of time…聽it really shows the why of what we do.鈥�

Learning in Real Settings 

Hands-on experience is central to that growth. Students spend time in skills and simulation labs, where they practice clinical scenarios in controlled environments before entering real healthcare settings. Faculty members work continuously to refine those experiences, incorporating new technologies and updating scenarios to reflect current practice. 

鈥淲e鈥檙e always trying to find out what鈥檚 new, what鈥檚 up and coming, so that we鈥檙e staying current,鈥� said Dr. Cole. 

Many faculty also continue to practice in clinical settings, bringing real-world insight directly into the classroom. Those connections extend to hospital partners, where students complete their clinical rotations. 鈥淵ou know, our clinical partners are saying they recognize Carlow nursing students apart from others,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 the care, the compassion, the empathy that our students are showing. They鈥檙e leaving that impact on the patients and the nurses that work there.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

The human-first perspective influences how students are taught to care for their patients, considering not just physical needs, but emotional and social ones as well. It also shapes how faculty approach their students. The same level of attention and care expected in clinical practice is reflected in the classroom. 

鈥淲e鈥檙e rooted in Mercy values,鈥� Cole said. 鈥淲e want our nursing students to be compassionate. We鈥檙e not just nurses. We鈥檙e healers.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

From First Day to First Job 

By the time students reach their senior year, the pieces begin to come together. Clinical experiences deepen, confidence grows, and the transition into the workforce begins to take shape. Students interview for positions, receive job offers, and prepare to take the NCLEX licensure exam. 

鈥淲hen they鈥檙e in the thick of it, sometimes it doesn鈥檛 feel like it鈥檚 worth it,鈥� Dr. Cole said. 鈥淏ut then getting that feedback from them, hearing that they passed their NCLEX on the first try, that they鈥檙e in the workforce, it makes it all worth it.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

For聽Dr.聽Cole, those moments are personal. She has lived the same journey herself, from uncertain聽student聽to practicing聽nurse聽to聽educator聽and聽leader:聽鈥淚 feel聽like I鈥檓 where聽I鈥檓 supposed to be.鈥澛犅�

Now, she helps guide the next generation through that same process, ensuring they leave not only with the knowledge and skills to succeed, but with the confidence to step into their roles. Students arrive with a goal. Over four years, they gain experience, build relationships, and grow into professionals ready to make an impact from the very start.