Nursing Faculty Member Promoted at SUNY Canton

One of the faculty members responsible for integrating advanced technology in the SUNY Canton Nursing program has been promoted.

Dawne M. Barkley recently became an associate professor in the college’s School of Science, Health and Criminal Justice. Barkley began working as a clinical instructor for the Nursing associate degree in 2007, a program that she graduated from 20 years earlier.

“My fondest memories of Canton go back to when I received my Nursing degree,” she recalled. “I formed many friendships that remain to this day. As an employee my fondest memories are within my program and working with my peers to prepare to celebrate student success through our annual pinning ceremony.”

After she began working at the college, she went on to earn her master’s in Nursing Education in 2010 and her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree in 2016 from Chamberlain University.

Barkley has been described as a change agent who helped bring technology to the nursing department and aiding with student success on the National Council Licensure Examination.

The Nursing program is evolving. Recently, the college unveiled the Dr. Mary Ann Caswell Nursing Simulation-Hospital, a modern suite of instruction-dedicated hospital rooms each containing a computer-operated Laerdal SimMan patient for emergency-room procedural training.

“I was part of a nursing team that adopted new technology focused teaching materials that improved our students’ transition into practice, such as using computerized documentation tools and virtual simulations,” Barkley said. “The simulation hospital was Mary Ann Caswell’s dream. We followed her lead and worked to increase the access to technology for our students."

Barkley has conducted extensive research on how nurses can better relay information. She presented "Improving Communication: Transitioning to Bedside Nursing Report" at a conference in 2018. The research suggests that by including the patient and family in care planning, nurses can provide improved safety and results. “Improved communication leads to improved outcomes and the bedside nurse-to-nurse report is one step in the improvement process,” she said.

A lifelong resident of Madrid, Barkley worked at Canton-Potsdam Hospital from 1979 to 2013.  She did medical-surgical nursing, pediatrics, and critical care prior to specializing in emergency care. She worked in the hospital’s emergency department from 1990 to 2013.

Barkley’s major future goal is to continue helping the college produce high-quality nursing students for years to come.