Congratulations to Professional Nursing Instructor, Jolie Hultner, who was named College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) Faculty of Distinction for October 2022.
Hultner has been a nurse for 20 years, where most of her time was spent in the emergency department. She was first introduced to teaching while she was working in the hospital setting as a nurse educator for the hospital staff. After she graduated with her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) she decided to pursue teaching nursing in an academic community, which is ultimately what brought her to CWI in 2021.
“As a nurse, I have been always committed to seeing new nurses grow as they strive for excellence in both patient care and safe nursing practice,” Hultner said. “I love watching students have ‘aha’ moments when they begin to put together the concepts and apply them in case-based scenarios or in clinical situations. I am so thankful to be able to see them become proud of themselves as they have accomplishments throughout the program.”
Hultner can see just how much her students’ progress within their time at CWI because she teaches courses for Nursing students who are in their first and last semesters.
“Seeing their progress from brand new to almost graduating makes me proud of our program here at CWI,” Hultner said.
Through the educational resources, tools, and partnerships at CWI, Hultner believes she, and other instructors, are able to help prepare students for success as they enter the workforce and the reality of working in the health care industry.”
“CWI provides practical educational experiences for the students,” Hultner said. “Students I see are introduced to clinical experiences from their first semester in the Nursing program to the end of the program.”
When it comes to working with students, Hultner’s teaching style can be described in two words: caring and respectful. Department of Nursing Chair, Allison Baker, has been able to work alongside Hultner in Nursing and Health Assessment Skills Lab and Clinical (NURS 103) and is able to witness first-hand how devoted her colleague is to their students’ success.
“Jolie works hard to meet a student’s individual needs,” Baker said. “She is willing to rearrange her schedule to meet with students and accommodate their specific needs.”
Baker remembers an instance of Hultner’s caring nature during the first few weeks of Fall 2022 semester when a student fell ill and had issues with financial aid, preventing them from attending class. When the student was able to return, Hultner made time to catch them up on four weeks of missed work and skill practices.
“She cares about the students and that they achieve high standards and realize their personal goals,” Baker said.
One of Hultner’s favorite parts about working at CWI is the Nurse Pinning Ceremony where she is able to celebrate her students accomplish their goals.
“The first nursing pinning I attended in May 2022 was absolutely heartwarming,” Hultner said. “Seeing the students celebrate their achievements with their family and friends there to support them made me so proud to be a part of their learning journey.”
Hultner is married with two children. She spends a lot of her free time watching her kids play sports, notably softball and lacrosse, and “loves every minute of it.” She also enjoys camping, hiking, paddleboarding, and being outside.
She and her husband grew up in Southern California, where she worked at a hospital in Orange County for most of her adult life. She and her family moved to the Treasure Valley in 2021 and are ecstatic to begin growing roots in “such a beautiful place.”
