RU nursing student's training and alert response to code blue earns award from Salem VA Medical Center

Hugh Elsea, a senior nursing student, is a member of the VALOR program at the Salem VA Medical Center.

Hugh Elsea, a senior nursing student, is a member of the VALOR program at the Salem VA Medical Center.

Quick thinking and valuable Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) training placed Hugh Elsea, a senior nursing student from Radford University, in a position to handle a medical crisis this summer. His efforts have been recognized by the Salem Veteran Affairs Medical Center (SVAMC).

While serving as a Veterans Affairs Learning Opportunity Residency (VALOR) scholar - a paid pre-licensure program for nursing students - and within a week of completing the ACLS course, Elsea was called upon to use it in an emergency situation.  Elsea’s letter of recognition from the hospital’s cardiologist cites both his code blue response and successful completion of the ALCS course as part of his “truly outstanding performance as a student nurse.”

Elsea will receive the Going the Extra Mile (GEM) award for his efforts and will be recognized at the SVAMC’s August Town Hall meeting.  

The VALOR program provides students with experiential learning opportunities in all facets of healthcare for Veterans.  The VALOR program includes hands-on clinical skills training, exposure to interdisciplinary teams  and rotation to different hospital units.  The VALOR scholars also spend time with social workers, chaplains and nurse practitioners. In addition, VALOR scholars present an evidence-based practice project to nursing leadership at the end of the summer.  Elsea and Jialeou Hwan are Radford University’s participants in the two-part, 800-hour program this year.  Senior-level nursing students are selected on a competitive basis for the program.  The SVAMC offered only five positions for 2013.

According to Elsea, "The VALOR experience has been absolutely awesome. I have gained so much experience and training in so many aspects of nursing in so many areas.”

 

 

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Jul 29, 2013
Don Bowman
540.831.7523
dbowman@radford.edu