Course in Gerontology and Palliative Care Developed with $150,000 Grant

July 16, 2018

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — The Illinois Wesleyan University School of Nursing[BROKEN LINK] and the Department of Biology have earned a $150,000 grant from the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations to develop a course in gerontology and end-of-life care, including a paid summer internship in palliative care, for undergraduate students interested in health-science careers.

The grant was awarded to Director and Professor of Nursing – and the Caroline F. Rupert Endowed Chair of Nursing – Victoria Folse ’86, Assistant Professor of the School of Nursing Amy Funk, Professor of Biology Will Jaeckle and Associate Professor and Chair of Biology Loni Walker to promote interprofessional collaboration and communication for pre-medicine, pre-healthcare and nursing students.

“This experiential approach to education addresses currently unmet needs of future healthcare providers. We are excited to leverage the curricular strengths of Nursing and Biology,” Folse said.

The course will be first offered in May of 2019 and will include simulations and hands-on learning. Paid summer internships will allow students to serve as active members of healthcare teams and develop the skills necessary to provide compassionate direct patient care to older adults and their families.

Folse also sees this as an opportunity to provide meaningful experiences for students interested in serving the community.

“The palliative care internship could serve as a signature experience for students across all disciplines,” Folse said.

For over 60 years, the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations has provided philanthropic support to medical schools, hospitals, hospices and other initiatives that enhance the quality of American healthcare. The goal of the palliative care program is to further research in this growing field and to make palliative care widely available to patients with chronic illnesses.

By Rachel McCarthy ’21