Cells to Society - UVA Nursing First-Year Class

The University of Virginia School of Nursing offers an innovative first-year class to help prepare new nursing students for what lies ahead. Associate Professor of Nursing, Cathy Campbell, Chair, Department of Acute and Specialty Care Nursing, and Professor of Nursing, Emily Drake, Assistant Chair, Department of Family, Community & Mental Health System describe their creative class, Cells to Society - C2S, and share student words and perspectives. 

It’s not easy being a nurse - and these days, it’s even more challenging.  How do we create new nurses who are ready to face the reality of healthcare right now?  It’s a lot to ask.

It all begins with the first nursing course, “Cells to Society for Nursing Practice.”  A first-year class held within a dynamic, collaborative, and creative learning space at the University of Virginia's School of Nursing.  A class that starts as an adventure, a journey into uncharted territory in health care. A seminar that involves lively discussions, field trips, interviews, puzzles, art, poems, skits, jokes, flowers, quilts, quizzes, movies, Tik Tok clips, secret treasures, and hidden Easter eggs!  Mix all this together with a variety of writing assignments and some crucial conversations and by the end of the semester, we have smarter, brighter, more compassionate nurses in the making.

Using a common disease such as cancer, this seminar presents real-life, interactive opportunities that allow students to connect the values and core professional concepts to patient experiences across the continuum of health care delivery. Students learn how the care of the patient raises questions across multiple domains, such as basic science, culture & society, public policy, and healthcare costs.

What students say – “What surprised me the most in this class was how little I know about America’s healthcare system.”

Students begin to think critically about social determinants of health, health equity, and confront racism and other ‘isms in healthcare.  This is a safe space for the exploration of all the issues.  Through discussion, seminar presentations, and community engagement, they begin to take a broader perspective right from the start.

What students say – “There is so much that goes into becoming a nurse, which means that it is not just checking on patients and starting IVs. Challenge yourself to dig deeper into the factors that influence nursing, not just surface-level care.”

Creativity, problem-solving, overcoming obstacles – and at times, the ability to improvise and think on their feet - are all valued.  Students begin to hone their skills in teamwork. Develop compassion and empathy for others.  Students begin to consider broader ethical issues around patient care, but they also begin to learn more about themselves as human beings.

This is a class that requires students to think deeper and to feel safe, to not be afraid to express their opinions.  Weekly assignments push them to practice their written and verbal communication skills.  We ask them to ask and answer hard questions.

What students say – “I truly enjoy coming to your class every week even if the writing assignments were difficult. The vibe you create in your class is unmatched, and you’ve kept me going on days when I wanted to cry or give up. . . . In [this class], I feel confident, intelligent, and driven about topics that give me hope and purpose for the world. I'm very thankful!”

We inspire them, prepare them, and push them to expand their points of view.  These are future leaders, nurses who will impact the health of their patients and beyond.  We want them to recognize the impact they can have.  We tell these nursing students, “Welcome! We’re glad you’re here!  The future of nursing and healthcare is in your hands.”  And we want them going in with their eyes wide open to both the joys and the challenges.

In the words of Martin Luther King Jr., “The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically.  Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education.”