By Molly English-Bowers
After more than 100 years on University Hill, Pomeroy College of Nursing at Crouse Hospital has moved to the Crouse Medical Center at 5000 Brittonfield Pkwy., East Syracuse. In late 2021, Syracuse University purchased the Marley Education Center at 765 Irving Ave., which the college had occupied since 1991. The relocation, just nine miles from Crouse Hospital, benefits students and college staff with minimal adjustment. “It’s a win-win for our students,” said Patty Morgan, MS, RN, Dean of the College, adding that students attend Pomeroy to become registered nurses. “This is a new facility accessible to our students just off I-481, near the state Thruway and our general education partner, Le Moyne College.” The facility was intentionally designed to meet the needs of all students, creating an excellent student experience within a dynamic learning environment. Available to students enrolled at Pomeroy are:
• three classrooms of increasing size, equipped with smartboards, video/ audio recording capabilities and comfortable seating;
• a library with thousands of books, journals and videos related to nursing and medicine, including access to online databases and texts;
• a nursing skills lab with seven patient treatment bays and mannequins that parallel a hospital acute-care setting;
• a simulation center with two fully functioning patient rooms and three high-fidelity mannequins – adult, birthing mother and baby;
• a biology lab used for teaching microbiology and anatomy and physiology;
• several areas for quiet study, group study and a student lounge for relaxation and student interaction;
• a computer lab;
• a highly regarded nursing faculty, many of whom are graduates of the college; and
• ample free parking.
The nursing skills and simulation center areas allow students the opportunity to work with faculty and one another to grow and develop. “These areas augment students’ education,” Morgan said. “We are not using these areas to replace the clinical experience gained only in a hospital setting, rather providing students with a safe space to develop and practice their skills.”
The modern simulation center features various high-fidelity mannequins that can be programmed with more than 200 scenarios intended to represent real patient experiences often encountered in hospitals. Scenarios involving the birthing mother and baby allow students to learn about the management of two patients at once, accessing newborn health and the immediate needs of a postpartum mother simultaneously.
Faculty members and simulation staff control the scenarios via computer terminals located in a control room centered between patient rooms. Faculty are able to watch students complete simulation experiences via one-way glass, providing immediate feedback, if necessary. A debrief room completes the space, where students and faculty are able to view a video/audio recording of their simulation experience and discuss what went well and what requires further development – providing an excellent learning opportunity for students.
“Simulation experiences are not graded,” said Amy Graham, Assistant Dean for Enrollment. “They are intended to help students gain knowledge and experience, as well as to learn to think critically and develop teamwork.”
Extensive clinical experience is one of the strengths of the Pomeroy curriculum, said Morgan. Students begin clinical rotations early in their first semester/ term of study. Student-to-faculty ratios during rotations are typically nineto-one, with rotations taking place at Crouse Hospital, Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital and Hutchings Psychiatric Center.
“The fact that the college is affiliated with Crouse Hospital means that our clinical education component is very strong,” said Graham. “Students develop professional relationships, often leading to employment opportunities.”
Another strength that Morgan touted is the nursing faculty. “They are knowledgeable, supportive and skilled in the classroom and clinical environment,” she said. In fact, many members of the faculty are Crouse graduates.
The college’s career placement rate, which measures the percentage of graduates who obtained a position as a registered nurse within 12 months of graduation, is consistently in the high 90s, noted Morgan. Many graduates choose to begin their professional nursing careers at Crouse Hospital, while others choose to practice elsewhere, depending upon their desired specialty or geographic location post-graduation. The latest figures published on the college’s website show placement rates of 98 percent in 2019, 97 percent in 2020 and 95 percent in 2021.
An important indicator of any associate degree nursing education program is the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX)-RN exam first-time pass rate. Pomeroy’s pass rate is consistently higher than state and federal rates, most currently at 92 percent, said Graham. Students prepare for the licensing exam in various ways throughout their matriculation at the college, including testing. Additionally, Morgan said, students complete a fourday NCLEX RN preparation and review course prior to graduation.
Pomeroy College of Nursing at Crouse Hospital offers three options for students to earn their degree. The traditional day option gives students the opportunity to earn an associate degree in applied science with a major in nursing in four semesters. The evening/weekend option allows students to earn their degree in just 16 months and is ideal for those with daytime commitments. The Degree-in- Three option with Le Moyne College allows students to earn both their associate degree and bachelor of science degree in nursing in three years while studying simultaneously at Pomeroy and Le Moyne.
Beginning in 2017, New York state began requiring registered nurses interested in practicing in the state to earn their B.S. in nursing within 10 years of being licensed. The initial associate degree qualifies a graduate to work as a graduate nurse, sit for the licensing exam and then work as a registered nurse. The Degree-in-Three option provides a continuous pathway to the bachelor in nursing degree without the worry of the looming 10-year requirement.
Students who choose to do so may complete their general education course requirements elsewhere and, if successful, transfer those credits into Pomeroy. Included are science courses – anatomy and physiology, microbiology and nutrition – and English and psychology courses. Completing general education courses prior to matriculation at the college is especially helpful to students enrolled in the evening/weekend option, though all students may begin their nursing education at Pomeroy with all or some of those courses completed elsewhere.
Pomeroy College of Nursing at Crouse Hospital admission applications are reviewed on a rolling basis with target dates of April 1 for fall admission and Sept. 1 for spring admission. Applications and additional information can be found online at course.org/nursing. The college may be reached via phone at (315) 470-7481 or via email at pcon@crouse.org.