There’s a concept that states a person must first learn how to care for oneself before he or she can effectively care for others. The School of Nursing at the University of West Georgia has followed this principle for years. Thanks to a gift from Jeanette and W. Fred Bernhardt, students and faculty now have a place to spend time in quiet contemplation of that philosophy in the new reflection room located in the newly constructed School of Nursing building.
Dr. Jeanette Bernhardt, Fred Bernhardt, and Dr. Kathryn Grams stand in the new reflection room.
Dr. Jeanette Bernhardt, for whom a new reflection room is named, served as the chair of the Department of Nursing from 1978 to 1999. Her leadership took the department from a small associate of science in nursing program to a bachelor degree program for students in Carrollton and two off-campus locations. It was established as a school in September 2008.
“This quiet space is to restore balance and wholeness,” says Kathryn Grams, dean of the School of Nursing. “The Jeanette Bernhardt Reflection Room is already being used by faculty, as caring is an essential part of nursing.”
“The reflection room supports the caring curriculum, which is demonstrating and teaching students how to care for themselves as they learn to care for others,” explains Mary Hart, senior associate director of development for the School of Nursing. “For many nursing students, they will be encountering new life experiences.”
Caring groups play a large role in the curriculum. These programs provide students with opportunities to learn and experience caring from peers and faculty. The focus is on learning self-care, study skills, as well as an appreciation of the importance for caring for patients and colleagues in the profession.
“Caring for self is a prerequisite before students can care for others and their peers,” says Dr. Bernhardt. “When we first started working on the center for caring, I envisioned a place where not only students, but faculty and others on campus and the community could feel safe.
“We are teaching students to care for families and patients when they are not at their best,” she concludes. “It’s a sacred trust, teaching students to care for others during crises when they are most vulnerable.”
