Mississippi College Nursing Graduates Enhance Patient Care

Bronwyn Briseno sees many doors opening for her as a nurse in one of the world’s most critical professions.

“I feel nurses make a huge difference in patients’ lives,” says Briseno, who recently earned her bachelor’s degree from the Mississippi College School of Nursing at ceremonies on the Clinton campus.

At commencement on December 16^th, Briseno, 28, became the latest in her family to enter the nursing field. Her grandmother and aunts worked as nurses and she can’t wait to get started.

A Madison resident and graduate of the Mississippi School for Math and Science in Columbus, Briseno worked hard to earn her MC nursing degree – she’s a Magna Cum Laude graduate.

Briseno predicts there will be “lots of job opportunities” awaiting Mississippi College’s 35 new nursing graduates.

Mississippi’s healthcare needs are enormous. The state’s rates of heart disease, obesity and diabetes are the worst in the nation.

At last Friday’s graduation ceremony in Swor Auditorium, Dr. Kim Hoover, the University of Mississippi School of Nursing dean and a professor on the Jackson campus, served as the keynote speaker.

Hoover offered the new MC nursing graduates a few words of advice. “You received a great education here and now try to identify where improvements can be made in healthcare,” she said. “Aim high and prepare to change our healthcare world one patient at a time.”

MC’s graduates will enter a profession that’s a major part of America’s healthcare system, one that can stand some improvement. “Our healthcare system is not the best in the world,” she said.

“Take responsibility for being a strong patient advocate,” Hoover told the Christian university’s Class of 2011. She also advised the new graduates at the Baptist-affiliated school they will “have to determine what your core values are. Nursing is one of the most trusted professions.”

UMC’s nursing dean since October 2010, Hoover recently finished a three-year program as an Executive Nurse Fellow with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. She’s also a professor at UMC’s School of Health Related Professions.

Spending her years at the School of Nursing in Clinton hitting the books, giving flu shots and taking part in campus leadership activities was a challenge, noted new MC graduate Sarah Sable. But for the resident of Carriere in Pearl River County it was worth every minute. Over the years at Mississippi College, Sable said she built “lifelong friendships.”

The years spent as a student at the School of Nursing provided “wonderful memories,” added classmate Elysia Helton of Yazoo City.

As parents and other family members clicked loads of photos of the nearly three-dozen nursing graduates, William Thomas, 26, of Raymond says he will keep hunting for jobs at UMC and other area hospitals. The Hillcrest Christian School alumnus says he eagerly looks forward to “serving others from a Christian perspective.”