First grads to earn Bachelor of Science in Nursing were recognized in pinning ceremony

The first graduates of Cincinnati State’s RN-to-BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) Completion Program were honored in a pinning ceremony on August 12, 2024.

Before the ceremony, each of the graduating BSN students presented a poster and described their capstone research project to Nursing faculty members and about 50 guests, including President Monica Posey and Dean of Health & Public Safety Dr. Bonnie Smith, as well as family members and work colleagues.

Graduates in the photo above are Marthe Ndachi, RN; Mariah Shephard, RN; Colleen Lucas, RN; Cory Thiel, RN; Debra Morris, RN; and Beth Cornelius, RN.

For the capstone course, Nursing 400, students were required to design a research project that advocates for vulnerable populations, improves patient outcomes, or improves best practices in nursing.

The project steps included:

• formulating a clinical research question
• reviewing literature
• identifying a nursing framework
• choosing materials and data analysis methods
• creating a budget
• editing existing policies and procedures
• creating a plan for stakeholder buy-in and a plan for dissemination of information
• creating a poster and delivering a professional presentation

The student projects were:

• “Medicaid Expansion Impact on the Maternal Mortality Rate of African American Women” – Beth Cornelius, RN
• “The Effect of Early Mobility on Difficult to Wean Mechanically Ventilated Patients” – Colleen Lucas, RN 
• “Lowering the Glycated Hemoglobin in Female Patients who are Diabetic” – Debra A. Morris, RN 
• “Impact of Sleep Quality on Blood Pressure in Older Adults” – Marthe Ndachi, RN 
• “The Academic Journey of African American Male Nursing Students” – Mariah Shephard, RN 
  
  Ms. Shephard is the College’s first “complete pathway” graduate– she earned all of her nursing credentials at Cincinnati State, including the State Tested Nurse Aide Certificate, the Practical Nursing Certificate, the LPN-to-RN associate degree, and the Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree.
• “The Impact of Structured Mentorship Programs on Career Satisfaction and Retention among Hospice Nurses” – Cory Thiel, RN

Graduating student Beth Cornelius observed, “I feel accomplished and stronger as a nurse because of the collective dedication of Cincinnati State educators, and the help of the support staff, to push me toward excellence. I’m also forever grateful for the scholarships I received to support my education.”

“I’m proud to have been a student at Cincinnati State / Bethesda School of Nursing and I believe I have a solid foundation for future success.”