Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority (CIHA) recently celebrated another group of Western Carolina University (WCU) nursing students who completed their 12-week clinical rotation at the hospital as part of their NUR 321 coursework.
Each semester, CIHA welcomes 20 WCU second-semester nursing students, divided into two groups, to complete a robust rotation through several departments. During their time at Cherokee, students gain valuable hands-on experience in the Emergency Department, Wound Care, Primary Care, Analenisgi Inpatient Behavioral Health Unit, and the Inpatient Medical Unit. Eight of their 12 rotations are spent working on the Inpatient Unit, ensuring students receive in-depth training across multiple specialties.
“This program is about more than clinical skills,” said Jennifer Peterson, Nurse Preceptor at CIHA (I would like to update this to include your official title/role). “It’s about helping future nurses understand the deep connection between culture and healing. Watching these students grow over the course of 12 weeks — and seeing many of them choose to return for their transition to practice rotations — makes us incredibly proud.”
The partnership between CIHA and WCU provides students with a Clinical Instructor embedded at the hospital, who is fully oriented to each department to help maximize the students’ learning experience. This model, partially funded by WCU, allows for more meaningful, real-world training during clinicals.
In addition to clinical practice, the rotation at Cherokee includes a cultural assignment designed to deepen students’ understanding of the community they serve, preparing them to provide more compassionate and culturally sensitive care.
Several of the students who completed this rotation have already expressed a desire to return to CIHA for their transition to practice rotations — and ultimately seek employment with CIHA to continue serving the community.
The Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority remains committed to investing in the next generation of healthcare providers and is honored to be a part of their journey.