Six students in the registered-nurse associate-degree major recently participated in the second-annual Nursing Student Challenge at College Misericordia.
Among the 11 colleges represented at the competition, the Penn College team scored second highest in the first round of competition − just one correct answer behind the leaders.
According to Dorothy M. Mathers, associate professor of medical/surgical nursing and adviserto Penn College's Student Nurses Association, advancing in the competition not only took knowledge but also the ability to ring the buzzer quickly.
"Our students did very well and we can certainly be proud of them," she said.
In the second round, officials pitted the Penn College team against the top-scoring team from the first round. Penn College did not win that round, but was initially selected to continue to the semifinals in round three based on the team's total score for the first two rounds. However, after a competing team argued for Penn College's elimination, officials decided to choose round-three semifinalists based on second-round scores only, meaning Penn College would not advance.
"Our students were disappointed, but the demonstration of their nursing knowledge was incredible," Mathers said. "They correctly answered 95 percent of all questions posed during the competition."
Members of Penn College's team, all second-year students, were Andrea A. Albright, Mechanicsburg; Heather L. Guthrie, South Williamsport; Heather A. Kerstetter, Milton; Tiffany L. Joyner, Stewartstown; Kimberly A. Stitt, Lewistown; and Beth L. Robinson, Liberty.