PA College Magazine - Fall 2021 - 5

PA COLLEGE / ON THE PULSE
In Memoriam
Karli Snyder (1999-2021)
Karli Snyder, a student in the threeyear
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
program, tragically died following an
accident last March.
Snyder excelled academically, with
recognition on both the Dean's List
and President's List.
" Karli was a stellar nursing student
who demonstrated compassion, academic
excellence, and a desire to learn, " says
Nursing faculty and Pre-licensure BSN
Program Director, Stephanie Hentz,
MSN, RN. " Inside the classroom,
Karli encouraged her peers and was
actively involved in the learning
process. Outside of the classroom,
Karli served both her peers and the
College community through her role
as a peer tutor and a member of the
InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. Karli's
caring spirit, infectious smile, and
enthusiasm will be missed by all. "
Nursing faculty member Thola
Wolanski, MSN, RN adds: " Karli's
passion for nursing was evident in
everything she did. Karli loved children
and her passion for pediatric nursing
was clearly evident. However, being
Karli, she noted she would be happy
going anywhere she would be able to
help others in any way she could. She
was a standout student not only in
clinical but also in the classroom. Her
classmates and I always knew we could
count on Karli to answer a question
that would start the discussion. When
she passed away, we all noted that her
shoes would be very difficult to fill. "
Snyder's friends, classmates, and the
College community quickly came
together to create a lasting tribute to
her memory. Funds were raised to both
plant a flowering shrub on campus and
to support the PA College Student
Emergency Fund, so that Snyder's
legacy goes on to support students at
PA College facing challenging times. A
special memorial gathering with family
and friends will also take place later
this fall. n
CONCEPT-BASED CURRICULUM EXPANDED
When PA College introduced its
three-year Bachelor of Science in
Nursing degree in 2016, this innovative
offering was the first of its kind in
Pennsylvania, meeting the demand
for bachelor's-prepared nurses in the
health care field, in a rigorous, accelerated
program. PA College designed this
new three-year BSN curriculum using a
concept-based approach, replacing the
medical model. Beginning in Fall 2022,
the Associate of Science in Nursing
curriculum will also begin utilizing a
concept-based model.
Rather than learning diseases based
on body systems by attending lectures
and memorizing information, which
can lead to content saturation, students
using a concept-based approach are
taught concepts that organize the
knowledge, skills, facts, and competencies
expected of the graduate. The learner
is expected to be able to apply these
concepts across multiple situations,
contexts, diseases, and courses, with
the goal of increasing comprehension
and retention.
speaks to PA College's commitment to
our mission of 'educating for excellence
in health care practice,' " notes Dean of
Nursing Cheryl Grab '77, EdD, RN.
" Effective communication skills, working
as a team member, and demonstrating
integrity and empathy are all necessary
skills that a professional nurse must
possess. However, health systems desire
graduates who possess qualities
that surpass these traditional skills;
they are seeking nurses who can
critically think and problem-solve in
response to complex clinical situations.
Our concept-based curriculum will
nurture these skills, with the result
of improved patient outcomes, " says
Grab. n
" The transition from a medical-model
curriculum to a concept-based curriculum
PA College / Fall 2021
5
PA College Magazine - Fall 2021

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