Another class of nurses from the University of South Carolina Aiken School of Nursing at Union has entered local hospitals to officially begin their careers! The class of 2024 had a 100% pass rate on the NCLEX (nursing licensure exam) with all nine nurses completing the test shortly after their pinning ceremony in July. We checked in with our graduates to see how they are settling into their new positions.
Hannah Sigmon is working on the Spartanburg Medical Center urology floor in Tower 3. “I was able to get a dayshift position,” she said. “I am really enjoying it and am learning so much already.”
Melissa Catrone had just begun orientation at Spartanburg Medical Center, where she will train for two weeks to become familiar with the hospital’s charting and procedures. “After that, I will begin working in Tower 4, which is trauma/surgery’s stepdown,” she said. “It has been going well so far. The reality hit that I am finally done with school and working, so I am excited to start learning as much as possible so I can take great care of my patients.”
Brina Childers is training to begin work in the postpartum unit at Spartanburg Medical Center, learning how to complete newborn assessments, baths, and other postpartum care. “So far everything has been going great,” she said. “I just started my orientation and am loving being a nurse so far.”
Lauren Lynch is learning how to start IVs, collect labs, and assist in sedation on the night shift at the Spartanburg Medical Center ER. “I just started on the floor paired with an experienced nurse,” she said. “I had the same nurse for my senior practicum so that has been helpful for my transition. I love learning skills, but it has been challenging trying to prioritize the task and think critically at the same time. It is a learning experience, but I love that it continuously challenges me to step outside my comfort sone and acquire new knowledge.
Garrisson Hendrix has been working as a registered Nurse in the Cherokee Medical Center. “The transition has been both challenging and rewarding,” he said. “I’ve been getting hands on experience in patient care, and it feels great to apply what we learned in school to real-life situations. The team has been very supportive, and I’ve been learning a lot from my colleagues.”
“It’s been amazing…I’m getting to put everything I’ve learned together with stuff I’m learning on the job as well as help patients,” said Kailee Stepp, who just started in the ER at Union Medical Center. “I’ve really enjoyed seeing the impact I have on the people I take care of even if it’s a short amount of time. It is so rewards, especially knowing I’m giving back to a community that has supported us so much in our journey to become nurses.”
As these graduates dive into their new positions, the newest class of nurses is beginning their training. On September 18, The USC Aiken School of Nursing at Union held their Dedication of Hands ceremony for the next group of students entering the program. The Dedication of Hands ceremony is a spiritual ceremony that emphasizes the art and science of nursing. Inspired by Jean Watson’s Theory of Caring, it symbolizes an act of caring for first semester nursing students before their clinical experience with patients. The ceremony was created by Julia Ball and Thayer Wilson McGahee of the USC Aiken School of Nursing. “It is the hands that turn nursing tasks and skills into acts of nursing and human caring. It is the students’ hands guided not only by their new knowledge and skills but also by their spirits and their hearts.” Featured in the ceremony are acts of caring as faculty members ritually wash and dry the students’ hands and then apply oil to the students’ palms. As each student’s hands are washed, the words, “May your hands provide fervent and skillful nursing care,” are spoken.
During the drying, the faculty member states, “May our spirit of compassion and gentleness guide your hands.” Finally, oil is applied to the student’s palms with the words, “May your hands bring comfort and promote healing to all who come into your care.” The ceremony concludes with the nursing students and faculty members holding hands in a circle with their ceremony leader making the closing statement, “Go in peace with the knowledge of the human and spiritual caring that your hands will convey.”
Our class of 2026 nursing students are:
Helena Alexender
Emily Anthony
Jamarri Booker
Cadence Clayton
Hannah Copeland
Taylor Davis
Ansleigh Erwin
Haley Jackson
Katie Painter
Annesley Phillips
Angelesia Smith
Madison Stephenson
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