Leading student learning

Janet Tomcavage '80 was attracted to the possibility of becoming a nurse well before coming to Bloomsburg University. But it was her experience as a Husky that propelled her into the leadership roles that now allow her to help fellow Huskies begin their professional climb.  

Tomcavage witnessed common afflictions like diabetes and stroke in her own family at an early age and later recognized her desire to help others. After her experience as a nurse volunteer with a summer camp, and with her mother's encouragement, Tomcavage solidified her aspirations through her experience at what was then Bloomsburg State College.

"I like to be around people," explained Tomcavage. "I loved the fact you could create relationships with patients, help them with a diagnosis, and see them get better. [The fact that] I could make a difference in patients' lives was very appealing to me."

A small community hospital hired Tomcavage and two classmates right after graduation. She credits her nursing mentors there with her successful transition from student to professional and BU for providing the tools and opportunities to climb the professional ladder. Her undergraduate research made her a candidate to teach a class on diabetes. That same research caught the attention of Geisinger, who hired her to create a diabetes education program with their system.  

"In healthcare, things are always changing," said Tomcavage. "I wasn't afraid to ask for help, and in the end, I made a good decision. I got offered the job [at Geisinger], which was phenomenal. I tell students that what I did at BU got my foot in the door at Geisinger."  

Tomcavage kept in touch with faculty and the university after graduation. Those ties strengthened as she climbed to her current role of Executive Vice President and Chief Nursing Executive, in which she is responsible for overseeing Geisinger's Nursing Institute, research and education partnerships, and testing new nursing care models. She now uses her college connections to provide a valuable learning experience for aspiring nurses.

"BU gave me lots of leadership opportunities where I was exposed to different roles, and I maintained an excellent relationship with Bloomsburg," explained Tomcavage. "Creating optimized relationships with schools is important. Geisinger has a very close working relationship with the BU faculty, so there's a collaborative understanding of the work at Geisinger and what is expected of their employees."

Geisinger and BU partner on several internship and externship programs for nursing students, and Geisinger provides the majority of clinical rotations for BU students. Tomcavage says that nurse preparation programs have evolved in many ways since her days as a student, and partnerships with programs like BU's have eased what can be a difficult transition. It's no surprise that during a global pandemic and national nursing shortage, Geisinger has been a regular recruiter of Huskies. BU Nursing grads are in high demand and find familiarity with Geisinger's system and clinical models. But even so, new grads need more than just a technical skillset when entering such a challenging and complex field. Social determinants like addiction, food and housing insecurity, anxiety, and stress require nurses to have specific "soft skills" to land that first job with Geisinger.

"The complexity and acuity of patients are off the charts," said Tomcavage. "Nobody comes out of nursing school knowing everything, but we want people who are enthusiastic about learning, able to recognize when they need help, and who can work on a team to bring ideas forward."  

"Competency and confidence are key," concluded Tomcavage. "And if we're doing our jobs right, we are helping that new grad continue to gain those skills and be part of something really dynamic."