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Innovative pitch lands first place in health care management competition

presenters gather for photos with judges
Front row, right to left: Carol Devlin, Danielle Farer and Alanna Owens incorporated a graduate level nursing perspective into their case competition.

With surgical precision, three master’s level students crafted a pitch, entered and won the Healthcare Leadership Network of the Delaware Valley (HLNDV) 3rd Annual Health Care Management Case Competition on April 5 at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. HLNDV is a professional organization of healthcare executives spanning various types of organizations and interests in the region. The contest was open to full- or part-time undergraduate or graduate students.

Students pose for photo
Carol Devlin, Alanna Owens and Danielle Farer entered the contest with an idea about the impact of Remote Health Montoring.

Carol Devlin, ‘16 BSN, RNFA, CNOR (Nursing Education), Danielle Farer, BSN, RN (adult-gerontology nurse practitioner) and Alanna Owens, BSN, RN  (nursing education) collaborated on a 500-word abstract, which was selected to move forward for presentation to a panel of judges which included leaders from public health and human resources, MBAs, and a nursing professor.

"Watching the success of my peers and faculty inspires me to challenge myself and move out of my comfort zone. This competition was the opportunity I needed to prepare myself for the next step in my development," explains Farer who plans to pursue a PhD in the future.   

students presenting case
MSN students Carol Devlin, Alanna Owens and Danielle Farer present their case to the judges.

They had to identify one “recent or near-future change that will have a significant impact on the health of our population.  Provide and describe a specific scenario to justify how that change will impact the health care system.”  Their topic was Remote Health Monitoring. “The keys to our success were providing data to support each of our points and connecting the care to all levels of the healthcare equation,” notes Devlin who will enter the PhD program this summer.

Evaluated on their topic and rationale, supporting evidence, clarity and presentation style, the winning Villanova Nursing team brought home the top award of $1500. Says Owens, "There’s a sense of comfort presenting to a room of peers.  We do so often, whether it be at work or in the classroom here at a Villanova.  So, having the opportunity to represent nursing in a room full of interdisciplinary professionals and come away with the award is very special."