Nursing Students Win Regional Challenge

Nursing students from Penn State Worthington Scranton took first place in "The Geoffrey Allen Walp Memorial 12th Student Nurse Challenge."

Eight teams from local colleges and universities competed in the annual event, including  Luzerne Community College, McCloskey School of Nursing,  Penn State Worthington Scranton, Marywood University, Misericordia University, East Stroudsburg University, Wilkes University and the University of Scranton.

The Worthington Scranton students won the famed "Silver Bowl," which will be on display in the campus' nursing suite for the next year, and $500 for the department, which was donated by the Lehigh Valley Health Network.

As this year's winning team, Worthington Scranton's faculty will have to create the 180 NCLEX-style questions for next year.

This is the second time Penn State Worthington Scranton has won the prize.

"Our team showed superior academic performance, good sportsmanship and great team spirit, as we had the largest student cheering section with about 30 to 40 participants," said Annette Blasi-Strubeck, PSWS lecturer in Nursing. "The faculty cannot be prouder of this team."

The winning nursing students are pictured, left to right: Colleen Knight, Caroline Walsh, Richard Rogalewicz, Lisa Misson, Erin Cortazar and Jamie Donovan. (Denise Carfora was initially on the team but had a family emergency and was replaced by Jamie Donovan).