The Maryville Approach

Elizabeth Buck:

One of the main contributions of The Catherine McAuley School of Nursing in the state and the region and in the country is that we are producing quality nurse practitioners to improve the patient outcomes across the country. We teach students to approach the patients in a holistic manner, not just a person who comes into the clinic with a cough or a sore throat, but rather the whole patient, their family, their occupation, everything about them. And we don’t just isolate that one experience for them.

 

Charles Gulas:

All of our graduate courses are based upon our strength and our experience in undergraduate curriculums.

 

Dan Spiller:

I would say that Maryville’s programs are distinctive because they were built from the ground up. Maryville had a reputable nurse practitioner program prior to going online. And so a lot of the resources and tradition were used to build the online program.

 

Nina Zimmermann:

Our faculty are registered nurses. Most are nurse practitioners, board certified nurse practitioners, who practice currently and are able to translate practice in the classroom setting.

 

Jennifer Gwin:

I think Maryville’s online nursing program is distinctive because we have faculty who are really devoted to the success of students.

 

Elizabeth Buck:

We engage with our students very intimately, even in an online environment. That’s one of the things that we have translated from our on-ground programs to our online programs, because we have really close relationships with our students.

 

Dan Spiller:

The Maryville faculty eat, sleep, and breathe nursing and education and how those two work together. And I don’t think I’ve ever met a more dedicated group of academic professionals.

 

Elizabeth Stacey:

Students get a lot of information and great advice and support from their faculty that are teaching the courses as well as the program directors.

 

Nina Zimmermann:

Students will have the opportunity to speak with me via a discussion board, an assignment, an email, or they even have the choice of calling me directly in my office or by my cell phone.

 

Jennifer Gwin:

The Catherine McAuley School of Nursing makes students feel a part of the community, especially in clinical courses, by promoting activities that draws students together.

 

Elizabeth Buck:

One of the other things that we do at Maryville is that we promote networking among the students. Every cohort is made up of a variety of students from a variety of different states, so that when you’re studying with one another, you’re getting a different perspective.

 

Charles Gulas:

My advice to online nursing students is, one, not to choose Maryville’s program if they’re looking for the easiest way to get a degree. And in Maryville, we really believe that involvement in engaged learning is the best way for students to learn and to really understand the content.

 

Elizabeth Stacey:

It’s really important to plan ahead and make sure that you set a schedule for yourself.

 

Nina Zimmermann:

I would recommend establishing a relationship with each instructor and communicating any needs or challenges that you have early, so that those needs and challenges may be addressed.

 

Dan Spiller:

There’s three keys that I think could be applied to the program that will make a student successful and that’s dedication, accountability, and time management.

 

Elizabeth Buck:

Characteristics of a successful Maryville online nursing student include being comfortable with your independent learning, being self-sufficient and being self-disciplined so that you don’t fall behind in your work and you keep up.

Elizabeth Miller:

 

My name’s Elizabeth Miller. I’m 26 years old. I’ve been working as a nurse for about three years now. I chose Maryville because I knew it would be an online program and working full time, I knew that would be much more doable than a classroom experience. I also have experience with the school. I’ve been very impressed. I felt extremely prepared once I graduated and I knew I wanted that again, so I came back here for my FMP Degree. The online nursing experience is much different than the classroom experience. I actually think that in a lot of ways, it’s better. It’s much more self-paced, which is what I was looking for in a master’s program. We work in groups as classmates and we network with each other, sometimes with students and other states even. That really helps us share ideas and get to know how other people do things.

 

I was a little apprehensive to begin an online program. I had never done anything like it before. Not very good with computers, but everyone at the school made it really easy. If you have any worries about starting an online program, it’s new, it’s different, just know that there are people there to help support you and you can do it. I’ve received a lot of support from my advisor. She’s always available for me when I need her. I feel like I can call her whenever I have a question about anything. In each of my classes online, I feel like all my professors are available for me. They give their phone number, they give their email. I know I can contact them with any questions or concerns about any class that I have. As far as advice that I would give students during this program is just be confident that you can do it because you can. Also, make sure that you network with your teachers, you network with your advisor and your classmates because they can help you navigate the program.