Maria Moore: Part-time Nurse, Full-time Faculty

Starting in the fall 2020 semester, PVCC has welcomed many new faces to our community, including Assistant Professor of Nursing Maria Moore (pronounced Ma-Rye-Ah).

Moore grew up in Lexington, Virginia. After graduating from Rockbridge County High School, she attended the University of Mary Washington, pursuing a career as a forensic pathologist. However, shortly after starting, she found that her interests had shifted. 

“After about one month of pre-med, I realized that was NOT for me,” Moore said. “I thought about physical therapy, but after volunteering at a PT clinic over break, I realized I was not really interested in that, either. Nursing popped into my head one day and it stuck.”

After discovering her passion, she transferred to Shenandoah University, where she got her bachelor’s degree of science in nursing. She then went on to Eastern Mennonite University to get her master’s degree.

“It felt right because I enjoy science,” Moore said. “I enjoy situations that require me to apply my knowledge, and I knew that I would have diverse job/career options as a registered nurse.”

Moore got a job working PRN (as needed) in the operating room at the Sentara RMH Medical Center after graduating, a position that she still holds today, on top of teaching full time at PVCC and teaching group fitness classes. Her interest in teaching developed when she worked as a staff development educator for perioperative services at Sentara.

“I have had several teachers make such a positive impact on me throughout my educational journey,” Moore said. “Plus, I love to see the look on someone’s face when everything clicks, and they experience a huge boost in confidence. I feel like I can learn from my students, just as they can learn from me.”

Not only is the fall 2020 semester Moore’s first at PVCC, it is also the first semester that she has taught full time in an academic setting. Although she has only been at PVCC for a short time, she has already enjoyed being a part of the community.

“I like the small class sizes, the focus on teaching, and the strong sense of community through the organization,” Moore said.

On top of getting accustomed to teaching in a normal setting, the coronavirus has posed an additional challenge to Moore, pushing her to find ways to teach nursing while social distancing.

“I am concerned about keeping students engaged in an online environment,” Moore said. “Especially for a hands-on vocation, such as nursing.”

However, working with her students, Moore has found creative ways to tackle this problem.

“The students have been great,” Moore said. “They are adapting and are comfortable voicing concerns. I do limited in-person teaching; my students in fundamental nursing skills expressed concerns regarding learning basic, necessary nursing skills online. I worked with the team of faculty and the course coordinator to make a plan to meet in-person for that lab, as often as safely possible. The students are responsible during in-person sessions and it feels like a safe environment for all. However, most of my classes are online.”

Moore currently lives in Shenandoah Valley with her husband (Drew), dog (Stella), and four cats (Loki, Soco, Cash, and Kali).

For more information, contact Moore at mmoore@pvcc.edu.