Barton College Nursing

02/23/2026

A somewhat late post, but back in December our nursing direct cohort made tie-dyed blankets to donate to the Hope Station in Wilson.  The Hope Station helps families in crises through food, shelter, housing assistance, and emergency financial assistance.

Nursing is not all about taking care of patients in hospital settings, but also about community outreach and community support. We are proud to partner with our Wilson County agencies to provide whatever support that we can.

Our nursing direct program allows high school students who have achieved a 3.0 GPA to enter Barton College with a guaranteed acceptance into the nursing program. No waiting lists, no entrance exams, but a guaranteed admission into the program in your junior year. If you are interested in this program, please contact Barton College admissions office.

02/20/2026

https://www.aacnnursing.org/policy-advocacy/take-action/_zs/qeprn1/_zl/6gpca?vvsrc=%2fcampaigns%2f133587%2frespond&utm_source=informz&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=email

02/20/2026

Students Emely Pichardo, Emma Davis, and Sarah Larkins joined Professors Ridgeway and Dr. Hamm at the monthly meeting of the Cardinal Chapter of the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA), which was held at Gravy in downtown Raleigh.

Attending these meetings provides valuable opportunities for students to build professional connections and engage with experienced nurses in the field. Professors Ridgeway and Dr. Hamm remain actively involved in ENA and continue their clinical practice as emergency nurses while also fulfilling their academic leadership roles.

Thank you to the Cardinal Chapter for the invitation!

02/19/2026

The Judy Howard Hill Nursing Program at Barton College held it's annual Sigma Nursing induction tonight. Three RN to BSN students and 10 traditional undergraduate students were inducted into the honor society.

Pictured in the first photo are guest speaker Jennifer High, MSN, RN, Dean of Students and Executive Director of Student Health Services, Dr. Randy Hamm, PhD, DNP, RN, Executive Director of Nursing and Practice, and Dr. Linda O'Boyle, EdD, RN, President of the Theta Iota Chapter of Sigma.

Pictured in the second photo are all inductees including Ernest Buchanan, RN, Kim Miller, RN, Catherine Blount, Georgianna Davis, Sam Holt, Brezlin Hunt, Ashton Jackson, Kaetlynn Kaestner, Sarah Larkins, Laura Mullhollem, Letzy Rodriguez-Caraza, and Natalie Violette. Not pictured is Drew Merli, RN.

02/04/2026

01/20/2026

The Judy Howard Hill Nursing Program at Barton College welcomes Dr. Makenzie Whitley, DNP, FNP-C, as Assistant Professor of Nursing. Dr. Whitley obtained her BSN from Barton College, and her MSN in Nursing Education and Doctor of Nursing Practice degrees both from UNC-Wilmington.

Dr. Whitley brings a wealth of experience in medical nursing, including extensive work in wound care. She resides in Wilson with her husband Alex and daughter Rylee.

Welcome Dr. Whitley! We are excited to have you join us!

12/04/2025

Some members of the junior class are helping with the American Red Cross Blood Drive today on the college campus. Even senior nursing student Heart De Luna participated in the event.

It's not too late to give, the drive is happening until 4pm today!

11/19/2025

Junior nursing students held their annual Health and Wellness Fair today on campus. What started a few years ago as just an assignment has now evolved into a yearly event. Each display was a different topic of education that the students were able to speak on. Job well done!

11/11/2025

Today, we honor all veterans and thank you for your service

10/26/2025

Even with the excitement of Homecoming Weekend at Barton College, our junior nursing students, under the direction of Professor Altovise Staton, chose to spend much of their time serving others at the NC State Fair. Partnering with Baptists on Mission, they assisted with community health screenings demonstrating both skill and compassion in action. Several of our bilingual students also stepped up to serve as translators, ensuring that every community member received clear and accurate health information.

Through opportunities like this, Barton College continues to foster not only skilled healthcare professionals but also compassionate leaders dedicated to improving the health and well-being of their communities.

10/22/2025

Thanks to all 28 healthcare organizations that took part in our annual Nursing Career Day held today! Representatives spoke to students about potential job openings, externship programs, and new nurse residency programs. Graduation is just around the corner in a few months for our senior students, and they are ready to get to work!