DWU nursing faculty members Diane Sandhoff and Gloria Thompson completed the first PN Prep Course offered at Augustana College in July 1997 Sandhoff and Thompson took a proposal for implementing a one year pilot parish nurse program at Wesley Acres Retirement Residence to their board of directors in December 1997. The pilot parish nurse program at Wesley Acres was implemented on February 1, 1998. Diane and Gloria are available as parish nurses two hours weekly at no charge to Wesley Acres. Negotiation for continuing the parish nurse program included integrating learning opportunities in parish nursing for nursing students, in addition to the weekly blood pressure screening. Second year nursing students began developing a health teaching session and presenting it at Wesley Acres during the spring 1999 semester.
Residents choose presentation topics for students each semester.
Groups of two or three students research the topic, prepare handouts and audiovisuals, and present it to their individual clinical groups. Their peers evaluate the presentations and handouts, offering suggestions for improvements. After refining the topics, the students present their program to the residents. Dr. Boyd A. Blumer Dakota Wesleyan University 1200 W. University Ave. 909 Dakota Wesleyan University 1200 W. University Ave.