Unitek 2022 Arizona Symposium: Reigniting the Light of Caring in Nursing Education and Practice

Inspirational nursing leaders collaborated to build a better future at the Unitek Learning Symposium.

Phoenix, Arizona – On May 24, 2022, Unitek hosted a nursing symposium at the Pointe Hilton Tapatio Cliffs Resort with Dr. Jean Watson, PhD, RN, AHN-BC, FAAN, LL (AAN) as the keynote speaker. Five esteemed panelists also led the event with their expertise on nursing education and healthcare services. This celebratory event focused on the theme of “Reigniting the Light of Caring in Nursing Education and Practice” and the importance of caring science in building interconnected relationships and leadership skills for the future.

“This National Nursing Month, we were honored to celebrate the nurses and leaders that continue to support the health and welfare of our communities. Together, we can bridge the gap between the present and future of healthcare and education,” said Janis Paulson, Chief Executive Officer at Unitek Learning. “At Unitek, we will continue to cultivate new ideas to expand our educational offerings and reinforce workforce resiliency.”

Throughout the Symposium, each speaker focused on the future of nursing and healthcare. Dr. Watson, founder and director of the non-profit foundation, Watson Caring Science Institute, led the discussion with her keynote address. Dr. Watson shared the core aspects of philosophical-ethical humanistic, theory-guided caring and professional development for academia as well as healthcare organizations. Other event panelists included Julie Bowman, MSN, RN;Dawna Cato, PhD, RN, NPD-BC; Phyllis Doulaveris, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, CPHQ; Rhonda Thompson, DNP, MBA,RN, NEA-BC; and Robin Shepherd, PhDc, MSN, RN. Each panelist spoke about educational equity, excellence, and innovative practices. They also discussed the opportunity to prepare a practice-ready healthcare workforce.

“For educators to effectively prepare students, they must infuse their approach with a positive reflection on the past and an eye on the future,” said Dr. Abdel Yosef, Provost and Chief Academic Officer at Unitek Learning. “Our goal at the conference was to delve into the importance of diversity as well as mental wellness. To reignite the light of caring in nursing education, we must focus on the principles of effective communication, moral commitment to self and others, and our capacity to increase the quality of teaching overall.”

Unitek Learning is the parent company of several distinguished learning institutions: Unitek College, Unitek EMT, Eagle Gate College, Provo College, and Brookline College. Unitek programs teach clinical practices and theories used in the field today. Equipped with many sought-after skills, Unitek graduates are prepared for licensure and employment in their chosen field in healthcare.