While some faculty members are working at these locations
for the first time, others are taking more shifts and working longer hours at
facilities where they have already been providing care in addition to their
teaching responsibilities. To help the nursing faculty, Alfred State has
donated supplies, including personal protective equipment.
Department Co-Chair and Associate Professor Jessica Lippa
noted that even though balancing online teaching, family life, and working at
healthcare facilities has been a challenge, her faculty have done an excellent
job of making it work.
“I am honored to work with this group of faculty members who
have stepped up to support our communities in their time of need,” said Lippa,
who is serving as a family nurse practitioner at St. James Hospital.
The following are some examples of ways ASC Nursing is
helping out:
• Associate
Professor and Department Co-Chair KathyAnn Sager is working as an assistant
director of nursing at Corning Guthrie Hospital.
• Adjunct
Instructor Taylor Craft is working as a registered nurse on the medical-surgical
floor at Jones Memorial Hospital.
• Assistant
Professor Marilyn Oggeri is currently serving as a registered nurse in the
Emergency Department (ED) at Corning Guthrie Hospital.
• Adjunct
Instructor Jean Gonska is working in the ED at Olean General Hospital.
• Assistant
Professor Kimberly Howard is working in long-term care for The Pines Health
Care and Rehabilitation Center of Cattaraugus County.
• Lecturer Jennifer
Ross is primarily working at Jones Memorial but is also working per diem at St.
James Hospital.
• Adjunct
Instructor Hannah Tiffany is working at Arnot Ogden Medical Center in Elmira.
• Assistant
Professor Ruthanne Ashworth is working as a nurse practitioner at Jones
Memorial.
Speaking about Alfred State Nursing faculty stepping up and
doing their part to help, Lecturer Jennifer Ross said, “Our faculty are nurses
first and foremost. Nursing is a calling and one that serves as the foundation
of working in education, as we are passionate about helping students fulfill their
dreams of becoming nurses. We all took the Florence Nightingale Pledge to
‘dedicate myself to devoted service to human welfare,’ and each graduating
nursing class continues to take this pledge. What better way to teach students
than to lead by example; to answer the call to serve in a time of crisis.”
Looking to the future of Alfred State Nursing, Lippa pointed
out that spots are still available in ASC’s nursing programs for the fall 2020
semester, and that the college is even looking to increase enrollment in
response to the current shortage of nurses. Additionally, Lippa said, the
college will be seeking current nurses who are interested in applying to be
clinical faculty.
