Faculty members in the Catherine W. Wood School of Nursing, Katt Jones and Sara Thompson, have each been awarded a $500 Campbell University Hallmarks Mini-Grant for projects designed to strengthen empathy and character in future nurses.
Jones will use her grant to purchase a pregnancy simulator vest that replicates the physical strain of late-term pregnancy. By wearing the vest, senior nursing students can personally experience some of the discomfort and emotional challenges their patients encounter, fostering patient-centered care and servant leadership.
Thompson’s grant funded the purchase of a Geriatric Sensory Impairment Kit, giving students the opportunity to experience the physical and sensory challenges many older adults face. By integrating technology and simulation, the kit helps students better understand how to approach the care of an aging population with compassion and skill.
Both projects align with Campbell’s Hallmarks of character, initiative, and calling, which are principles rooted in the University’s founding in 1887 and bolstered by a 2024 Lilly Endowment Inc. and Wake Forest University grant supporting a distinctive undergraduate learning experience. Through these innovative teaching tools, Thompson and Jones are ensuring that empathy remains central to the Campbell nursing curriculum and to the development of ethical, compassionate healthcare providers.