On Thursday, July 3, 10 Prisma Health Blount Memorial Hospital nurse residents officially graduated from the hospital’s first-ever collaborative nursing residency blending elements of critical care and the emergency department.
The graduating class included Sawyer Adams, Clayton Collins, Deeana Drumm, Christopher Garza, Jolie Levan, Jessica Long, Holly Natoli, Brandon Tedford, Jadyn Tipton and Marly Ward.
The 12-month program helps new nurse graduates successfully transition from their academic studies into clinical practice through a rigorous combination of orientation and hands-on learning that results in more than 500 hours of training. The dual specialty residency between critical care and the emergency department fosters collaboration and mutual respect, while expanding each department’s skillset.
“This inaugural residency class represents an educational milestone for Prisma Health Blount Memorial Hospital,” said Chief Nursing Officer Joe Newsome. “By blending critical care and emergency department training, we’re equipping our new nurses with a broader, more versatile skillset and fostering a culture of collaboration and mutual respect across departments. These graduates have demonstrated exceptional dedication and resilience, and we are incredibly proud of the compassionate, skilled professionals they’ve become.”
About Prisma Health
Prisma Health is a private nonprofit health company with over 32,000 team members, 19 acute and specialty hospitals, 3,131 licensed beds, 320 practice sites, and more than 5,900 employed and independent clinicians across its clinically integrated inVio Health Network. Along with this innovative network, Prisma Health serves more than 1.6 million unique patients annually in its South Carolina and Tennessee service areas. Connect with Prisma Health on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter/X. Visit PrismaHealth.org.
