FACULTY PROFILES: A CONVERSATION WITH Professor Michele Boland
Professor Michele Boland joins The University of Scranton as a new faculty member in the Department of Nursing at the Panuska College of Professional Studies.By: Claire Sunday '23, student correspondent
Professor Michele Boland joins The University of Scranton as a new faculty member in the Department of Nursing at the Panuska College of Professional Studies.
Her breadth of experience includes work in clinical and hospice care in large, inner-city hospitals and more insular community facilities. At the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, her roles encompassed administration and critical care nursing. At the Presbyterian Hospital in Philadelphia, she worked in administrative and supervisory roles.
“Each facet of nursing within which I have worked has provided me with a diverse skill set and a broad knowledge base that I am able to share with my students,” Prof. Boland said.
WHAT are two takeaways students can gain from Professor Boland's Experiences?
1. Nursing offers a broad range of professional opportunities.
Prof. Boland brings 15 years of nursing education experience to the university. Her professionial background demonstrates the range of opportunities available to students. Previously, she served as a faculty member at the Career Technology Center Practical Nursing Program in Scranton and the Delaware County Practical Nursing program in Philadelphia.
2. Impactful moments in patient care can change the course of a career.
When asked to share a career-affirming moment, Prof. Boland recalled her work as a young hospice nurse. Her first patient, a terminally ill man, was a devoted Philadelphia Phillies fan. To put him at ease and create an environment of comfort, she would review game statistics and news about the team in advance of her visits. The two established a bond. After his passing, his wife shared with Boland that he had viewed her as one of his best friends.
Prof. Boland said she has never forgotten this conversation and wants her students to understand that these impactful moments are part of the nursing profession. Through the profession of nursing, Prof. Boland said she has found love, passion, and joy.
WHAT DO YOU RECOMMEND TO SOMEONE INTERESTED IN PURSUING A CAREER IN YOUR FIELD?
Prof. Boland reminds her students to explore the diverse fields in nursing. Students have opportunities to work as advanced practitioners, administrators in hospitals and healthcare systems, specialists in end-of-life case management, and educators.
“The one-on-one nurse-patient relationship will always serve as the basis of our profession, however, the present and future of nursing affords graduates with many more opportunities than might first come to mind,” Prof. Boland said.
MEET PROFESSOR Michele Boland
Professor Michele Boland earned a master's degree in nursing education from the University of Phoenix and graduated from the University of Delaware with a bachelor's degree in nursing. She is currently pursuing a certification in nursing education and is a member of Sigma Theta Tau. In 2022, she was hired as a lecturer in The University of Scranton department of Nursing. To the department, Prof. Boland brings 15 years of nursing education experience.
ON THE LIGHTER SIDE
As the mother to three, Amanda, Brian, and Paige, Prof. Boland said that her nursing skills are also put to use at home. When finds the opportunity to relax, it's with her family and with music, television, or books. Her favorite music artist is Coldplay, and her most recent binge-worthy Netflix show is "Outlander". She also has just read "Where the Crawdads Sing," and would recommend it.
