The Power of Magnet
When students learn in a facility that prioritizes nursing and professional governance,
they observe “the ultimate place to work.” Such was the case with Accelerated BSN student BreAnn Dishman (BSN ’25), graduate of Sgt. Reynolds Community College, a first-generation college attendee, wife of a U.S. Marine, and mom of a four-year-old daughter. This summer, Dishman begins a new role as a clinician in the UVA Health pediatric intensive care unit.
And from the advent of their careers, new nurses like Dishman will benefit from the Synergy Center's centralized, ongoing support as they transition into the profession, supported right from the start.
“My clinical rotations at UVA Health were a huge part of why I chose to stay after graduation. I always felt supported by the nurses I worked with; They were willing to teach, trusted me with meaningful tasks, and made me feel like a real part of the team. I saw first-hand how seriously they took patient care, and I felt like the environment encouraged both learning and collaboration.
"Even as a student, I felt like my input was welcomed. It gave me a better appreciation for what it means to work in a Magnet organization."
ABSN graduate BreAnn Dishman, who becomes a pediatric ICU nurse at UVA Health this summer
“We talked about Magnet status in class, but I didn’t fully understand it until I started doing clinicals. I noticed pretty quickly that nurses [at UVA Health University Medical Center] were really involved in decision making and quality improvement efforts. I remember preceptors talking about shared governance and being part of councils, which helped me connect the dots. Even as a student, I felt like my input was welcomed. It gave me a better appreciation for what it means to work in a Magnet organization.
“Magnet status was part of what reassured me that UVA Health would be a great place to grow as a nurse. I wanted to work somewhere where nurses have a voice, where continuing education and evidence-based practice are part of the culture. UVA checked all those boxes. I also just knew, from my time here as a student, that I’d be surrounded by great mentors and a strong team. That made the decision to stay an easy one.”
The Synergy Center
What it is
Positioned as a collaboration hub for nurses and nurses-to-be during four key moments in their education and career—transition to practice, professional growth, career transitions, and legacy—the Synergy Center aligns nurses' personal goals with workforce needs and tethers them to the principles of self-care, well-being, and compassionate leadership, focus areas for which the School is known.
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Reorienting Orientation
Why quality onboarding matters
From the outset, it can make new nurses feel like they’re entering a world that’s organized, efficient, supportive, friendly.
It’s why UVA Health’s Nursing Professional Development Services and the School began working on a new approach to onboarding, an united effort now headquartered at the Synergy Center.
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Building Nurses for the Future
Focused on well-being (not just because it's nice)
“Teaching self-care early in a nurse’s career helps both the individual nurse and the hospital where they work,” explained professor Natalie May, who studies mattering and its impact on healthcare workers’ quality of care, burnout, longevity, and attrition, and leads well-being modules for new UVA Health nurses taking part in yearlong residencies. “When nurses flourish, so do their patients.”
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New Digs
Teach? Practice? Mentor? Do something new?
Yeah, we do that.
How the Synergy Center is fueling development of new roles for nurses and nurse educators, static and mobile classrooms, dynamic clinical experiences for students—and why it's bringing new energy to the School, and more options for faculty members and clinicians alike.
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Project Team
When the team's the thing
Not everyone has an idea for their DNP final scholarly capstone defense.
So, to satisfy both DNP students' academic needs and the challenges many health systems face and seek help to solve, Beth Quatrara, an associate professor (pictured with DNP graduate Jared Sangiorgi), has developed a list of ongoing projects that need a DNP student's touch at UVA Health and well beyond. It's just the kind of thinking the Synergy Center fuels.
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