Nursing lecturer selected for new national mentorship program

Kylie Newsom has been selected to participate in a new Kaplan mentoring program for new nurses and educators.

The Nightingale Mentorship Program is in response to the Nursing Now Nightingale Challenge in honor of Florence Nightingale’s 200^th birthday and the Year of the Nurse. The program matches 14 of Kaplan’s experienced nurses and nurse educators with one of 14 new nurses or nurse educators to mentor. The program includes a series of webinars and courses aimed at teaching new nurses and educators leadership skills.

Newsom has been a lecturer in the School of Nursing since 2018 and has taught classes in pediatrics, obstetrics, and gynecology. She said she is excited to be a part of this new program.

“It’s an honor to be nominated and chosen to be a part of this program,” Newsom said. “I think this will open a lot of doors for me for future leadership roles. I’m Hispanic, and women leaders in the Hispanic population are not something you really see. I want to show minority women that we can succeed if we put our minds to it.”

Janice Lanham, a senior lecturer in the School of Nursing, nominated Newsom because of her innovation in the classroom and her career goals.

“She’s pursuing doctoral programs and is interested in an advanced degree, which speaks to her ambition. She’s also innovative in the classroom and uses different approaches in teaching her students,” Lanham said. “She’s all in when it comes to her teaching and learning new ways to be more innovative in her research and teaching.”

Inspired by Lanham, Newsom uses Kahoots, an online quiz, and other formative assessment interactive activities in her classes.

“We want to be able to provide our students with the most interactive education possible,” Newsom said. “I look up to Janice as a mentor because she is innovative. She’s the digital diva. She has started that for herself. I want to make changes in the classroom that impact my students as much as Janice impacts her students.”

Lanham has been her unofficial mentor since joining the School of Nursing. Newsom’s Nightingale Mentor will be Maria Flores Harris, DNP, RN, CNE, the Executive Nursing Director for Kaplan Nursing.

While Newsom has not yet started her doctorate degree, she plans to study how to increase nursing students’ resilience once they graduate and reach the bedside to provide care for patients who are very ill.

“I remember transitioning from the classroom to working full-time with patients,” Newsom said. “It’s an emotional and challenging time. I’m interested in figuring out ways we can better prepare students for that time in their lives.”

Clemson’s Chief Academic Nursing Officer and School of Nursing Director Kathleen Valentine said the School of Nursing is fortunate to have Newsom and is proud of her achievements.

“Kylie’s research interests are very timely for helping students make the transition from education to practice.  The nursing profession has an initiative focused on ‘Redefining Academic Nursing’ that promotes closer partnerships between academic and healthcare systems,” Valentine said. “I commend Kylie’s desire to lead this process now, in her future research and in her future professional endeavors.  Our School is fortunate to benefit from Kylie’s many gifts and talents.”

Newsom’s career goal is to be in an academic leadership role. Though she’s already in a leadership role as a lecturer, Kylie is looking for ways to improve in order to make the most impact on her students, something she thinks this mentoring program can do. For her, it’s all about being the best for her students.

“I just hope to be a good example for my students of what you can accomplish when you work hard and love what you do,” she said.