The recent graduates of the Northwell/Nuvance Rising Senior Summer Internship Program, including three students from Mount Saint Mary College’s Nursing program.
Three Mount Saint Mary College nursing students recently completed the Northwell/Nuvance Rising Senior Summer Internship Program, a highly selective initiative designed to prepare future nurses for the workforce.
The students were placed at Putnam Hospital, a part of the Northwell/Nuvance Health system, where they engaged in a three-month intensive experience. The internship provided a valuable opportunity for the students to expand their clinical knowledge and practical skills.
The students were Angelina St. George of Hopewell Junction, N.Y.; Michelle Tingson-Pregno of Highland, N.Y.; and Ivan Labuda, of Danbury, Conn.
“I got to experience the different roles a nurse plays in healthcare,” explained St. George. “They provided me a chance to use my critical thinking skills, put my knowledge into practice, and collaborate with healthcare teams about patients and the hospital.”
Tingson-Pregno echoed her sentiment, saying the internship “was a transformative experience that helped me apply classroom knowledge to practical care and gave me confidence at the bedside.” She added, “I learned how vital adaptability and quick decision-making are in caring for patients during critical moments.”
The experience culminated in a capstone project and poster presentation, which the students presented to hospital leadership. The project helps students transition from the classroom to professional practice, identify areas for improvement in their respective units, and hone skills such as patient care, critical thinking, and communication.
The program helped the students to progress their skill set and prepared them for their final year of studies and beyond, noted Lynette DeBellis, Chair of the School of Nursing.
“It’s truly rewarding to see our students’ hard work pay off,” DeBellis said. “The progress they’ve made through this program isn’t just about learning new skills, it’s about building the confidence and expertise that will carry them through their final year and well into their professional lives.”
Representatives of the program will be visiting the Mount’s campus in October to recruit students for next year’s internship, DeBellis added.
The Mount enjoys a long-standing relationship with Northwell/Nuvance Health, with students frequently completing clinical rotations at its hospitals.
The Mount trains top-tier nurses for employment in the Hudson Valley and beyond. Nursing students at the Mount get a leg-up on their careers by starting clinical work in their sophomore year and the college’s state-of-the-art simulation labs, which provide students with hands-on training. The NCLEX-RN pass rates for Mount graduates consistently exceed the national average.