New nursing program is off to a 'great start' at UHC in Bridgeport, West Virginia

“The program is doing great,” said Dr. Veronica Gallo, department chair at the School of Nursing Bridgeport Division. “The students are beginning the end of their first year in the program. I would have to say it is a success. The students seem to be really happy, and they are making great progress.”

It has been smooth sailing so far, said Delaney Buck, one of the students.

“So far the program has been great,” she said. “It is a lot of information to take in. In a matter of five semesters, we are learning three years’ worth of content.”

The program is going really well, said Jonathan Brager, another nursing student.

“This is the busiest I have ever been in my life,” he said. “The content itself is not super difficult for me because I have a background in health care. Both my bachelor’s and master’s are in exercise physiology.”

Nursing student Courtney-Dee Kovar has been busy doing hands-on experience.

“The program is going great so far,” she said. “It is definitely getting to the point where we are doing nothing but clinicals. The majority of us are ready to get on the floor and be actual nurses.”

The program can be a lot to absorb at times, Buck said.

“It can be quite challenging sometimes,” she said. “My fellow students and I are working hard to take in all of the information given. It can be pretty overwhelming sometimes, but we can all see the light at the end of the tunnel.”

UHC’s program combines clinicals and textbook work, Gallo said.

“The program is designed to be a fast-track program,” she said. “In a matter of 18 months the students will learn what it takes to be a nurse and how we operate. This will include clinicals and the actual book work we have them do.”

She hopes to travel once she finishes the program, Buck said.

“My plan is to head to Charlotte after graduation. ... I am planning on leaving the state. I have lived here my entire life, and I think it’s time for a change.”

Brager, a local, plans on sticking around.

“I currently have two scholarships with WVU,” he said. “Since I have two scholarships, I will be staying here. My plan is to stay here for a couple more years, then move on to become a nurse practitioner.”

Kovar plans on staying put.

“I plan on staying with UHC for a while after graduating,” she said. “Some of us in the program are part of the Aspiring Nurses program. The program gives us financial aid. There is one condition, that being we stay with UHC and work for a certain period of time after graduation.”

UHC wants to help the students succeed in any way possible, Gallo said.

“We also offer different ways to help students financially,” she said. “The main one we have is the Aspiring Nurses Program. This will allow the students $25,000 for the five semesters of the program; that evens out to around $5,000 per semester. At the end of the program, students will work for UHC for a predetermined amount of time to pay off their loan.”