Wayne County Community College District Unifies Nursing Education and Student Support With Elsevier 360 and Sherpath AI

“You don’t understand? Go to AI.”

For Carmen Johnson, Associate Dean of Nursing at Wayne County Community College District (WCCCD), leveraging the best technology in the services of students is at the heart of every decision. When the college’s faculty realized that juggling multiple learning systems wasn’t delivering the results they needed, they came together to find a better solution.

A legacy of opportunity

Founded in 1969, Wayne County Community College District is one of the only historically African American community colleges in Michigan. Its Associate of Applied Science in Nursing program admits 60 students each fall and spring semester, preparing future nurses through a rigorous, hands-on curriculum.

The challenge: fragmented learning tools and mixed results

Before 2024, the nursing program was using both Elsevier resources and another company's platform. “We were not getting the results that we needed,” Johnson recalls. “We were also hearing students’ concerns about wanting all of their resources in one place.”

The faculty held multiple meetings to evaluate new options, inviting vendors to present side-by-side demonstrations and answer questions. One of the qualities that really stood out was Elsevier’s commitment to service. “Whenever we called, they not only responded, but came here face-to-face to make sure that we understood the product,” Johnson says.

When it came time to decide, the faculty voted 13-0 for Elsevier.

The solution: Elsevier 360 and Sherpath AI — one platform, one tool

The college implemented the Elsevier 360 platform, a comprehensive ecosystem that connects students and instructors through digital textbooks, Elsevier Adaptive Quizzing (EAQ), assessments, and analytics, all in one seamless environment.

Among its most innovative features is Sherpath AI, an intelligent, conversational study tool that generates personalized answers from Elsevier’s trusted, evidence-based content. Built on verified nursing resources, it helps students deepen understanding by asking questions in their own words and receiving context-rich explanations tied directly to their course materials.

How did Elsevier 360 impact faculty confidence and student empowerment?

The Elsevier 360 rollout quickly deepened how faculty and students interacted with course materials. “The top things our faculty love are administration and accessibility,” says Johnson. “Once they started looking at the full platform and all of the resources it offered, especially EAQ, they saw how it could support both students and instructors across every program.”

AI tool meeting nursing students where they are

While the program is still early in its Sherpath AI journey, students are already seeing its value. “We tell them all the time: ‘If you don’t understand, go to AI,’” says Johnson. “Put it in your words. Tell it what concept you’re struggling with and ask AI to break it down for you. If you don’t get it, ask again. By the second or third breakdown, you’ll get it.”

Students especially appreciate that Sherpath AI connects responses directly to the textbook, something generic AI tools can’t offer. “They love that it tells them where to find the information and that it’s coming from a credible source,” she explains. “They also like the audible features, being able to highlight and pin pages, and the option to have words pronounced for them.”

How did faculty support students through digital transition and ensure access?

As with any major platform change, implementation came with adjustments. “Some students were used to buying hard copy books at the bookstore,” Johnson says. “We had to help them understand they didn’t need to do that anymore.”

A few students still prefer printed copies, and WCCCD accommodates them. “There are always some who say they need to hold something in their hands,” she says. “We make sure they can still order a print version.”

Another focus was access. “Not every student has a home computer,” Johnson adds. “So we made sure students always had access during business hours, either in our building or at the library.”

A unified path forward for nursing faculty and students

The transition to Elsevier 360 has not only unified resources across the nursing program but also strengthened student engagement and confidence—helping WCCCD prepare the next generation of nurses for success.