On October 20, YSN welcomed the families and friends of our General Entry Prespeciality in Nursing (GEPN) students, at the annual GEPN award ceremony. Held in the West Campus Conference Center, the program included brief remarks from Dean Kurth, Executive Deputy Dean, Carmen Portillo, and Phil Martinez, Director of the GEPN program.
The students recently completed the very intense 11-month GEPN program, and passed their National Council Licensing Examination–Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN) in August. Carmen Portillo, in her opening remarks, welcome the students as “fellow registered nurses”, to enthusiastic applause. A slideshow of the ceremony can be viewed here.
The GEPN Program is the first of a three-year, full-time course of study at YSN that combines preparation in basic nursing with advanced preparation in a clinical specialty. Recognizing that students arrive to the GEPN program with vast experiences and knowledge outside of nursing, the GEPN curriculum balances both the arts and the sciences in the curriculum and clinical components. Students are offered experiences in the acute-care hospital units and community settings to achieve YSN’s overall mission of better health for all people.
Upon completion of the prespecialty year, students continue on with their graduate studies which includes theory, practice, and research. Students are admitted into their designated specialty when accepted into the program. The Certificate in Nursing and a license to practice nursing in Connecticut are the two prerequisites required for the GEPN student to continue with their graduate work to earn their MSN degree.
Photo: Michael Marsland, Yale University