FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sept. 8, 2009
Contact: Macaulay Knight
662.329.7119
mknight@pa.muw.edu

Community health leaders share knowledge with MUW nursing students

COLUMBUS, Miss. –Students in the baccalaureate nursing program at Mississippi University for Women welcomed several community leaders to their Disaster Table Top Exercise Aug. 26.

Guest presenters included: Curtis Jernigan and Lisa Tedford, Mississippi State Department of Health; Mahlon Greer and Diane Gann, Baptist Memorial Hospital – Golden Triangle; Cindy Lawrence, Greg Merchant and Marc Miley, Lowndes County; Neal Austin, Bobby Richardson and Barry Goode, City of Columbus; Mary Slater, Juvante Burks and Kennedy Meaders, MUW Police Department.

“The workshop overall was a success and met the goals the faculty had established for student achievement,” said Debbie Miranda, assistant professor of nursing at MUW. 

The workshop covered planning, response and communication elements of disaster planning during pandemic and bioterrorist events. Guest speakers shared knowledge of response procedures and plans of their respective agencies to enhance students’ understanding of safety during a potential disaster event.

“The novel H1N1 flu is presenting our area with challenges,” said Miranda. “I needed to get information to our students about that natural disaster and other potential situations.”  

Thirty-six senior nursing students attended the workshop, which is a required lab for the community health nursing course. After the exercise, students rated their experience as being a valuable learning experience.

For more information about the nursing program at MUW contact 662-329-7301 or visit http://web2.muw.edu/index.php/nursing/.