Emory University's School of Nursing Surpasses $20 Million Fundraising Goal - Campaign Continues

Emory University’s Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing has exceeded its $20 million fundraising goal nearly two years ahead of schedule. To date, the School of Nursing has raised more than $20.4 million to support student scholarships, faculty research, service learning projects, and academic programming.

Emory trustee Dr. J. David Allen and his wife Beverly Dew Allen (Class of ‘68C), both Emory alumni, are proud to be leading the fundraising efforts as chairs of the School of Nursing’s campaign. “To have early success is thrilling, but more than anything it is a call to continue our work. Nearly 80 percent of our students need financial aid to pursue an Emory nursing degree. As long as there are initiatives in the School of Nursing that need additional resources — and there are — we have a job to do,” says Dr. Allen.

“This fundraising milestone is a reflection of the School of Nursing’s upward trajectory as an internationally recognized nursing program,” said Linda McCauley, PhD, RN, FAAN, dean of the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing. “We are immensely grateful to our extraordinary donors whose gifts are having a meaningful impact on the School of Nursing. Because of generous support from these donors, the school is able to invest in key strategic priorities that advance our mission to educate nurse leaders and scholars, generate new knowledge, and improve health and health care—all in service to the global community.”

The School of Nursing’s fundraising success is tied to broad-based support from more than 3,000 individuals, corporations, and foundations.

Since the launch of the campaign in 2005, the School of Nursing has attained a number of notable accomplishments:

Increased the Fuld Segue Program, which provides critical financial aid to Emory nursing students with undergraduate degrees in fields other than nursing who want to become nursing leaders. This program was created with generous support from the Helene Fuld Health Trust;
Received an $8.1 million grant—the largest donation in the nursing school’s 106-year history—from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for a 2 ½ year project designed to improve maternal and newborn survival rates in rural Ethiopia. This historic donation has enabled Associate Professor Lynn Sibley and a team of Emory investigators to create a community-oriented strategy to improve maternal and newborn health care services in rural Ethiopia and position the approach to be expanded throughout the country; and
Raised $100,000 from 265 alumni and friends to create the Elizabeth Mabry Scholarship in honor of longtime faculty member, Elizabeth Mabry. This scholarship provides aid to deserving undergraduate students each year.

“We deeply appreciate the overwhelming support of our alumni, faculty, staff, students and friends,” says Amy Dorrill, associate dean of development and alumni relations for the nursing school. “We also continue to count on their generosity, because although we have reached our overall fundraising goal in terms of numbers, some of our most important priorities—including student scholarships, faculty support, and service learning programs—still are not fully funded. As the School of Nursing continues to seek support for these initiatives, we look to private philanthropy to fuel our work and advance Emory’s legacy of excellence in nursing education and research.”

The School of Nursing’s fundraising campaign is part of Campaign Emory, a $1.6 billion fundraising endeavor that combines private support and Emory’s people, places, and programs to make a powerful contribution to the world. Campaign Emory is the largest and most successful fundraising campaign in Georgia.


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New Scholarships to Benefit Nursing Students

/PRNewswire/ -- It was announced today that two new scholarship contests are in place for 2011 to specifically benefit nursing students. The Atlanta Nursing Scholarship gives the winner a $500.00 scholarship to be applied toward any accredited nursing program offered by a school in the greater Atlanta area. The Mary Blake Single Parent Nursing Scholarship gives the winner a $500.00 scholarship to be used toward any accredited nursing program.

Entry forms, rules and restrictions, and links to full details for each contest can be found online at http://www.onlinenursingdegrees.org/financial-aid/atlanta-nursing-scholarship-contest.htm and http://www.onlinenursingdegrees.org/financial-aid/single-parent-scholarship-contest.htm.

These contests are being sponsored and administered by the scholarships and promotions department of OnlineNursingDegrees.org (http://www.onlinenursingdegrees.org/financial-aid/nursing-scholarships.htm), a site that recently entered its fourth year of serving the needs of domestic nursing students in the US.

In a statement released today, Martin Lamers of Online Nursing Degrees said, "Our Nursing Scholarships recognize the unique challenges and opportunities presented to today's nursing students. We want to highlight the crucial role a nurse plays in the stability and growth of any major metropolitan area, as well as reward the individual efforts of some of the area's brightest students and strongest individuals."

The Atlanta Nursing Scholarship contest is open to all nursing students enrolled in an accredited nursing program in the metro Atlanta area. It is an essay contest with a minimum of 500 words to be used describing why the individual is uniquely deserving of the award. Entries may be submitted online until June 15th. Scheduled as an annual event, the winner for 2011's contest will be announced in August.

For more information or to enter this contest, visit: http://www.onlinenursingdegrees.org/financial-aid/atlanta-nursing-scholarship-contest.htm

The Mary Blake Single Parent Nursing Scholarship contest is open to all single-parent nursing students enrolled in an accredited nursing program. It is an essay contest with a minimum of 500 words to be used describing why the individual is uniquely deserving of the award. Entries may be submitted online until June 15th. Scheduled as an annual event, the winner for 2011's contest will be announced in August.

For more information or to enter this contest, visit: http://www.onlinenursingdegrees.org/financial-aid/single-parent-scholarship-contest.htm

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GSU only Georgia institution to receive grant from new federal program to train more nurse practitioners

Georgia State's Byrdine F. Lewis School of Nursing has recently received a new federal grant to help train needed nurse practitioners who are an important part of the health care system.

The $831,600 grant from the Advanced Nursing Education Expansion program of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will provide funds for students for up to two years to help reduce the financial burden of attending school full time, and will help increase graduation rates.

"This highly competitive grant will allow GSU to increase the number of primary care providers available to consumers," said Susan Kelley, dean of the College of Health and Human Sciences. "Because of the quality of care which nurse practitioners provide, the demand for their services has grown immensely."

"We are very excited to receive this grant," said Barbara Woodring, chair of the Byrdine F. Lewis School of Nursing. "Nurse practitioners will be needed to aid in the health care system in the coming years. The Byrdine F. Lewis School of Nursing graduates one of the largest numbers of master's prepared nurse practitioners in the region, and the funding will go a long way in aiding our students."

The school of nursing is the only Georgia nursing school to receive a federal grant under this award program, which aims to train 600 advanced nursing professionals nationwide by 2015.

Since they were first trained in 1965, nurse practitioners have aided in the primary health care system, providing services similar to those of a doctor. They diagnose and treat a wide range of health problems, and also focus on health promotion, disease prevention, health education and counseling.

Because of their services, they help to lower the cost of patient care. According to the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, there are about 14,000 of these professionals in the United States.

Georgia State's program has five areas of focus, including adult health, pediatrics, family health, women's health, and psychiatric/mental health. The federal grant covers all five areas of the program, and must be used for direct support such as tuition, fees and a small stipend for students to attend full time.

The Advanced Nursing Education Expansion program is part of $320 million in grants under the Affordable Care Act.

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Georgia Baptist College of Nursing to Introduce Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree in 2010

Mercer University’s Georgia Baptist College of Nursing will add a Doctor of Nursing Practice to its graduate degree offerings in 2010. The College, based on Mercer’s Cecil B. Day Graduate and Professional Campus in Atlanta, began offering a Ph.D. in Nursing Education this fall.

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program will support advanced practice nurses in the areas of informatics, organizational analysis, and practice-focused research. The DNP degree acknowledges the importance of clinical expertise at the doctoral level. Students will design clinical projects that improve both the delivery of patient care as well as patient outcomes.

The Georgia Baptist College of Nursing’s DNP program offers a post-master’s, five-semester, online course of study that includes 43 semester hours and over 500 clinical hours. The College utilizes both in-person and online learning techniques to effectively and dynamically transform the online classroom into a platform that reaches the highest possible level for learning.

“Graduates of the Doctor of Nursing Practice program will be prepared to meet the changing demands of this nation's complex healthcare environment, which requires the highest level of scientific knowledge and practice expertise to assure quality patient outcomes,” said Dr. Linda A. Streit, interim dean of the Georgia Baptist College of Nursing.

For more information on the DNP program, call (678) 547-6700 or visit www.mercer.edu/nursing.


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Graduate Nursing Scholarship Established at UWG

The University of West Georgia recently established the Raymond L. Abernathy Graduate Nursing Scholarship, created by his daughter, Dale Howard, who is a nurse, and his son-in-law, Teddy Howard, to “honor the memory of an exceptional and loving father who nurtured his children’s dreams.” The scholarship will benefit graduate students in UWG’s School of Nursing.

“My father would be honored and humbled by having this scholarship established in his memory,” said Dale Howard. “He greatly respected the nursing profession, always supporting my pursuit of continued nursing education at the University of West Georgia. Indeed he would be proud to contribute to the educational opportunities of a new generation of master’s degree-prepared nurses at UWG’s School of Nursing.”

Abernathy graduated from Hiram High School in 1944 and began working in the mailroom of Courts and Company, a brokerage firm of the New York Stock Exchange. He worked his way up, learning from his mentors along the way. From 1950 to 1952, he served in the Korean War, where he was promoted to Master Sergeant in the Army. After the war, with the help of the GI Bill, he began taking classes at Georgia State University. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in May 1962.

Throughout his life, Abernathy passionately encouraged his own children and grandchildren to always do their best in school. He bequeathed a deep love of academics to his family. He firmly believed higher education and a strong work ethic opened the door to numerous opportunities and a better way of life. His education served him well as he succeeded in the investment banking industry for more than 60 years. Upon his death in July 2007 at age 80, he was the vice president of investments and securities at Morgan Stanley.

To be eligible for this scholarship, graduate nursing students must have an overall grade point average of 3.0 or better. The selected student must also meet or exceed UWG’s academic standards throughout the duration of the scholarship.

For more information on the Raymond L. Abernathy Graduate Nursing Scholarship and other scholarship and giving opportunities, contact the Office of Development and Alumni Relations at 678-839-6582.

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Clayton State University School of Nursing Expands Simulation Lab

The School of Nursing (SoN) at Clayton State University is expanding the student learning experience by adding a new lab space in Clayton Hall and expanding the simulation lab in the Harry S. Downs Center.

“Because of the nursing shortage, we have increased our enrollment over the last few years so we can graduate more nurses to increase the nursing workforce. We have outgrown our present lab so we are excited about the new additional space which will allow us to expand student learning experiences,” says Katrina Barnes, R.N., M.S., clinical assistant professor of Nursing and lab coordinator.

The simulation lab is welcoming a new state of the art manikin funded through a grant and student lab fees. The SoN has been able to create another “hospital room” in the lab which will accommodate a labor and delivery unit. New video equipment has been installed allowing students to perform simulations in all three rooms at the same time with different classes.

Clayton Hall will now house the health assessment portion of the lab. That lab will include exam tables and equipment used for the physical assessment of all body systems.

“We can now have health assessment labs any time on Tuesday and Wednesday, which we couldn’t do before because it was needed for the other clinical classes. Moving the Health Assessment portion of the lab will allow students increased practice times on Monday and Thursday in the CE lab area so they can review skills they have learned in their regular clinical courses,” says Barnes.

A unit of the University System of Georgia, Clayton State University is an outstanding comprehensive metropolitan university located 15 miles southeast of downtown Atlanta.
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Training Nursing Leaders at Georgia State

The Byrdine F. Lewis School of Nursing at Georgia State University received more than $800,000 in a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration to establish a new master’s degree concentration in Nursing Leadership and Healthcare Innovations. The three year grant provides funding for the development of the program, as well as for faculty and a staff administrator.

The nursing school has already initiated the new concentration, which features optional courses in nursing informatics and nursing leadership, and ten students have enrolled for fall 2009. Georgia State will become the only university in Atlanta to offer the nursing informatics curriculum and the second statewide.

By offering a degree concentration in nursing leadership and informatics, Georgia State is helping to fill a gap in the health care system. As health care strives to become more efficient, particularly through the use of technology, a need has arisen for nurses who understand both patient care and how technology can be used to improve care. With this increased use of technology, including the transition to personal health cards for all citizens by 2014, nurse informaticists who can translate technology into practice are in great demand.

“The need for a master’s degree concentration in nursing leadership and healthcare innovations is enormous. Nurse leaders are needed to implement innovative strategies for enhancing patient care outcomes and maximizing the use of technology in practice,” says Cece Grindel, associate director for graduate nursing.

The School of Nursing is working with Georgia State’s Institute of Health Administration to offer some of the coursework required in the new master’s program concentration. For more information on the degree program’s curriculum, visit http://chhs.gsu.edu/nursing/docs/HealthcareInnovationsCurr.pdf.

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First Ph.D. in Nursing Students Coming to Mercer’s Atlanta Campus

The first six candidates in the Georgia Baptist College of Nursing’s new Ph.D. in nursing program will come to campus for the first time as a group on Thursday and Friday, Aug. 13-14, for a computer training and orientation. The dynamic new program at Mercer University will feature a distance-learning delivery method for much of the coursework, allowing the students to continue in their positions as nurses and nursing educators. The program is only the fourth Ph.D. in nursing to be offered in Georgia, which is facing a critical shortage of nurse educators.

The students in the program will meet at the campus several times per semester and will also work remotely in virtual classrooms and via specialized Internet-based educational software. The inaugural class for the Doctor of Philosophy in nursing program brings together nurses from out of state, as well as those from more rural areas of the state.

“We had to design the program around the needs of working educators and nurses, because the nursing and nurse educator shortages in this area are so great our program had to be flexible enough to allow the students to remain at their jobs,” said Dr. Linda A. Streit, interim dean and associate dean for graduate programs at Georgia Baptist. “The students will have two days on campus for orientation and training to prepare for the coming semester.”

The program is designed to be done in a hybrid format and completed in 24 months, depending on the length of time taken on dissertation research. The program will create high-performing nursing educators and researchers to address the urgent need for nursing educators and leaders.

The program will prepare its graduates to:
• address the pressing need for advanced expertise in the application of theories and conceptual models to nursing education, practice and research;
• conduct research that advances nursing knowledge;
• evaluate the influences of ethical, social, political, demographic and economic issues on health care and nursing;
• assume leadership roles in education, practice and research to improve health care.

Dr. Streit also worked to secure grant funding to support students in the program through the Nurse Faculty Loan Program, a federal program designed to increase the number of nursing students pursuing careers as full-time faculty in schools of nursing. Funds from the program are administered by the Bureau of Health Professions, Health Resources and Service Administration.

The loan program offers significant loan forgiveness to students in master’s and doctoral nursing programs who train for, and become, full-time as faculty in nursing programs upon graduation. The new Ph.D. in nursing program was tailored to meet the needs of students pursuing this program, Dr. Streit said.

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Gunnell Memorial Scholarship Established

In 1964, the city hospital in Villa Rica was a modest clinic that served the local area. But that year, it would benefit from the arrival of Ila Mae Gunnell, who would devote 32 years to helping build what is now Tanner Medical Center/ Villa Rica into a highly respected health care facility.

Now, to honor her memory, Mrs. Gunnell’s family and friends have established an endowed scholarship in the amount of $10,000 at the University of West Georgia’s School of Nursing.
Mrs. Gunnell, a mother of five, had no formal medical training, but always wanted to be a nurse and cared deeply about providing quality health care. She served in many capacities at the medical center, including in an instrumental role in helping form the respiratory therapy department, which was one of the first units of its kind in the area outside of the major Atlanta hospitals. That unit is now among the most highly regarded in the region.

Mrs. Gunnell, who passed away last month at the age of 85, forged a remarkable career out of her desire to work in the medical field.

“Mother always wanted to be a nurse, but she was never able to. But when she had the opportunity to work in a hospital, it was right up her alley,” said daughter Judy McTyre.
Mrs. Gunnell’s children thought establishing a scholarship for students pursuing a career in nursing presented an ideal opportunity to pay tribute to their mother’s work.

“We felt like this was a wonderful way to honor her legacy – to help others achieve something she valued so much,” said daughter Carol Maynard.

Another of Mrs. Gunnell’s daughters, Gail Beard, said assisting students in reaching their goals carried on her mother’s spirit of caring.

“What can we do for you? That’s what nursing is about. That’s what made her so special.”
Mrs. Gunnell’s work inspired others, daughter Becky King said.

“She touched many lives, and this scholarship will help maintain her influence,” she said.
The scholarship, which is available to employees or children of employees of Tanner Medical Center/ Villa Rica or Paulding WellStar Hospital, will also serve as a reminder to people connected with those institutions of the work of Mrs. Gunnell, her son said.

“This is something to make life a little easier for the folks who work at those hospitals or their children,” Terry Gunnell said. “What we were interested in was helping in her name and her honor people who might need an assist in reaching their goals.”

Mrs. Gunnell’s contribution to nursing in the West Georgia region was substantial, and the scholarship will help commemorate that, said Dr. Kathryn Grams, dean of the UWG School of Nursing.

“We are exceptionally grateful for the family’s generosity in establishing this scholarship. It will enable students who might not otherwise have the opportunity to pursue their education in this important field,” Grams said.

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Emory Advantage Support Aids Students

If it were not for Emory Advantage, Willow Wood may not have been able to attend college at all, much less realize her dream of studying at Oxford College of Emory University.

Wood knew about Oxford from the stories of her aunt and uncle, who attended Oxford. A junior now at Emory College studying environmental science, Wood says the Emory Advantage program was the only way her dream could have come true. The oldest of four girls, she knew it would be tough to afford college — her mom is a carriage driver and her dad, who grapples with a disability, has worked in the restaurant industry.

“I grew up on stories of Oxford, and I knew it was a special place. I was able to go there, too, because of Emory Advantage,” says Wood. “I can take a full class load without working full-time as well. And I don’t have to worry about graduating with a huge debt.”

Emory Advantage, the university’s financial aid program benefiting low- and middle-income students, was established in 2007 and offers two kinds of aid: the Loan Replacement Grant to replace need-based loans for dependent undergraduate students whose families’ annual total assessed incomes are $50,000 or less, and the Loan Cap Program which caps cumulative need-based debt at $15,000 for dependent undergraduate students whose families’ annual total assessed incomes are between $50,000 and $100,000.

Undergraduate students at Oxford College, Emory College of Arts and Sciences, Goizueta Business School, and the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing are eligible for the Emory Advantage program, and more than 634 students have benefited from the program since its inception. In addition, more than $11 million has been raised so far during Campaign Emory toward the University’s goal of building a permanent endowment.

In today’s economy, programs like Emory Advantage and other scholarship are often the best chance for many promising students to attend a university like Emory without the burden of debt. Says Provost Earl Lewis: “Funds to attend Emory during difficult financial times are critical to our mission of educating our best and brightest regardless of the student’s ability to pay. If ever there was a time to help, this is it.”

Emory Advantage is just one of many programs at Emory where gifts can be directed to help provide critical resources for current and prospective students. Regardless of area of interest, scholarship and fellowship funding opportunities exist in all corners of Emory’s campus. And each of these areas has identified student support as a high priority within Campaign Emory.

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MCG offers nursing doctorate at Macon State College

Nurses who want to advance their leadership and clinical roles can earn a Medical College of Georgia Doctor of Nursing Practice degree at Macon State College.

The University System of Georgia Board of Regents recently approved the doctoral-level degree option as an external program at Macon State. The program will enroll its inaugural class of four students this summer.

"The program is an excellent opportunity for nurses who want a terminal or doctoral degree in nursing with a clinical practice focus as opposed to the research focus that a Ph.D. in nursing provides," says Dr. Marguerite Murphy, director of MCG's Doctor of Nursing Practice program. "DNP-prepared nurses can be instrumental in improving health care outcomes in our ever-changing, complex health care environment."

"The critical need for registered nurses is well known, but the need for leaders in the nursing field also is vital," says Dr. Barbara Frizzell, Macon State’s vice president for academic affairs. "The doctoral program offered by MCG on our campus not only enriches our own academic environment, but establishes a conduit to produce talented leaders and instructors in nursing for central Georgia and beyond."

The doctorate of nursing practice focuses on clinical and management expertise necessary to improve outcomes in health care practice, leadership and education. The program also will help alleviate the national nursing shortage by producing more qualified nursing professors, allowing nursing schools to enroll more students.

"Extending our program to Macon State is really providing critical gains for our nursing profession in central Georgia to improve patient safety and advance quality outcomes for nurses who are working with patients, families, health systems and communities," says Dr. Janie Heath, School of Nursing associate dean for academic affairs.

The curriculum includes 40 graduate semester hours over four semesters, covering trends in effective care, methods of care delivery and concepts in evidence-based care.

Requirements for the program include a master’s degree in nursing or associated program of study related to a specialty area, such as public health, a graduate school admissions test, current professional nurse licensure and appropriate specialty certification.

For more information about the program, visit www.mcg.edu/son/index.htm or call Karen Sturgill, program coordinator, at 706-721-3676. To see current students, faculty, alumni, clinical and academic partners, including Dr. Rebecca Corvey, dean of Macon State's School of Nursing, talk about the program, visit www.mcg.edu/son/video/feature.html?v=20090324corvey and www.mcg.edu/son/video/index.html.

Amy Connell
Medical College of Georgia
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Georgia Southern University School of Nursing Receives $104,000 Grant from the Lettie Pate Whitehead Foundation

Georgia Southern University School of Nursing students will receive scholarships during the coming academic year thanks to a $104,000 grant from the Lettie Pate Whitehead Foundation.

Jean Bartels, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Georgia Southern’s nationally-ranked School of Nursing, says the grant will be used to fund scholarships for more than 30 outstanding students during the 2009-2010 academic year. Bartels says the scholarships will greatly reduce, or even eliminate, the hours students will have to work outside of school. “For most students, it means significant financial support in purchasing textbooks and medical equipment while easing their workload as they pursue intense clinical experiences,” said Bartels.

The scholarships will also ensure that the University will be able to recruit outstanding students, regardless of their financial situation. “This grant means more deserving students can be admitted to the School of Nursing because they will have the financial resources that will allow them to stay in school and meet an ever increasing need for well educated nurses,” said Bartels.

Educating nurses is becoming even more critical according to Bartels. The state of Georgia is expected to have a shortfall of 20,000 nurses in the next three years. The U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics estimates that nearly 250,000 new nursing jobs will be available in the U.S. every year through 2016, and the amount of nurses around the country is expected to fall far short of the demand. Georgia Southern University’s School of Nursing graduate program is consistently listed as one of the top in the nation. The program is becoming known for not only educating future nurses, but helping current nurses obtain advanced degrees through its popular online degree programs.

The Lettie Pate Whitehead Foundation places special emphasis on women studying in the fields of nursing and healthcare. The foundation’s mission is to benefit the education of women in financial need in nine southeastern states.

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VSU Nursing Secures $246,000 ICAPP Grant

The University System of Georgia's economic development program, the Intellectual Capital Partnership Program (ICAPP) awarded the Valdosta State University College of Nursing a nearly $246,000 grant to increase the number of nurses prepared to work in behavioral and psychiatric health care.

“The nursing shortage in Georgia and throughout the country is critical, but even more critical is the need for nurses who work with patients with mental and emotional disorders, substance abuse and other behavioral health problems,” said Dr. Anita Hufft, dean of the VSU College of Nursing. "This grant will enable us to draw bright students into our program and expand the number of nurses we prepare to provide a high level of care for these special populations.”

The grant provides for the college to recruit 10 students into the Accelerated BSN Program, which enables a person with any bachelor’s degree and the required prerequisites to receive a Bachelor of Nursing in 14 months of study. Each student will receive a scholarship to pay for tuition on the condition that they work in a behavioral health setting in the state of Georgia upon graduation. The students will receive additional training in the specialized field through partnerships with area behavioral health facilities, including Greenleaf Center in Valdosta and Southwestern State Hospital in Thomasville.

To learn more about the grant and admission requirements, e-mail Accelerated BSN Program Manager Michelle Gilbert, RN, MSN, at megilber@valdosta.edu.

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Recession Proof: The Need for Nurses Continues to Rise at Record Rate

With announcements of rising unemployment and an ongoing economic recession, Georgia Southern University Nursing graduates are finding that they are not only in high demand, but those employers are fiercely competing for their services upon graduation. Among the highest ranked Nursing program in the state of Georgia, Georgia Southern University is seeing not only increased interest in its graduates, but also a rise in applicants to its highly competitive program.

“It is really amazing to see the interest from not only employers, but also the increase in the number of applicants to our program,” said Jean Bartels, Ph.D., professor and chair of the School of Nursing at Georgia Southern University. “Employers continue to aggressively recruit our students, considered to be the best in the state, both at the undergraduate and graduate level.”

Some students within the School of Nursing at Georgia Southern are not only receiving one or two job offers, but receiving them before they even graduate. In fact, more than two thirds of the December 2008 graduating class received two to three job offers from health care agencies both in and out of state. For area health care agencies, Georgia Southern graduates were the most heavily recruited Nursing graduates of any regional University. In fact, one large metropolitan hospital hired only Georgia Southern graduates this December.

A recent news story by the Associated Press noted that some employers are becoming very creative going as far as offering red carpet treatment and gas cards just to entice job seekers to attend job fair. “Nearly every recruiter that comes to Georgia Southern’s campus is trying to find a way to stand out versus the competition. In such a competitive market, recruiters are definitely searching for unique ways to attract graduates.”

Demand on the Rise

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, nearly 233,000 additional new jobs will open for registered nurses each year through 2016. That is on top of about 2.5 million current positions. When you take into consideration that only about 200,000 candidates passed the required RN licensing exam in 2008, the need for new nurses becomes even more alarming.

According to Bartels, Georgia ranks 42 nationally in the supply of RNs creating an RN vacancy rate of as high as 15 percent, well above the national average. By 2012, Georgia alone will have an estimated shortfall of more than 20,000 nurses. “Even with a best-case scenario, assuming all nursing graduates pass the licensure exam, remain in Georgia, and work full time, it is estimated that with current capacity and practices, the state will only be able to produce a maximum of 12,000 of the needed 20,000 RNs by 2012.”

“The need for well educated nurses is not only tied to the increased demand for healthcare, but can also be attributed to increasing numbers of retiring nurses,” said Bartels. “Nurses are retiring at a faster rate than Universities can train and supply new nurses not to mention addressing additional need on top of that.”

Becoming More Competitive

Bartels is also seeing another trend – the desire of current nurses to earn additional higher degrees in their field. Georgia Southern University offers several programs that have grown rapidly in the past year. These include the RN-BSN program where a currently registered nurse may earn a bachelor’s degree through a completely online program. In addition, the University also offers a Master of Science and Nursing and this past year introduced a Doctor of Nursing Program (DNP). The RN-BSN and DNP are offered completely online while the Master of Science in Nursing is taught through a combination of online and classroom instruction.

All three programs have been designed for nurses working long hours or varying shifts. “There is an obvious interest in achieving additional nursing education and we designed the programs so that nurses could not only pursue their degree, but do so while they continued to work,” said Bartels.

One need that Bartels continues to reinforce is the need for additional nursing faculty. “I am trying to search for a faculty member right now to fill a position and there are just not enough faculty members to go around.” To counter this trend, programs like Georgia Southern have launched doctorate level programs designed to prepare nurses not only for advanced nursing practice, but also to return to the classroom to teach what they have learned. Georgia Southern’s Doctor of Nursing Practice program is one of only two of its kind in the state and now students have access to one of the nation’s top nursing programs at any location with an Internet connection.

With current economic conditions, demand for new nurses, the challenge to provide additional training for current nurses and the need for new faculty, Bartels says creativity is the key. “You’ve got to be creative, persistent and willing to step outside the box,” she says. “At Georgia Southern we are continually looking for new ways to not only address the existing shortage, but prepare for expected future demand.”

Prospective students may find out more about Georgia Southern’s nursing programs at: www.georgiasouthern.edu. The application deadline for the Doctor of Nursing Practice program is March 1, 2009. The RN-BSN program and the Master of Science in Nursing program accept applications throughout the year.

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MCG Camp Gives College Students Head Start for Nursing School

College freshmen and sophomores interested in nursing can get a head start on their careers at the Medical College of Georgia School of Nursing this summer.

The second annual Nursing Career Summer Camp is a five-week program designed to prepare undergraduates for the challenges of nursing school, while also increasing diversity in the school's applicant pool.

"We've found that students over the years are surprised when they begin nursing school," said Dr. Deborah Smith, project director of the school's Nursing Workforce Diversity Project, which encompasses the camp. "They still think they can memorize information and make it through, but nursing students must understand and apply information, and that's a shocker to some."

Jan. 30 is the application deadline for the camp, which begins May 16.

The Nursing Workforce Diversity Project, funded by a three-year, $742,000 Health Resources and Services Administration grant, also provides scholarships, loaner laptops and peer tutoring for MCG nursing students. The grant covers all expenses for camp participants, including housing, tuition and a $250 monthly stipend.

The camp includes an introductory pathophysiology course and enrichment courses on reading comprehension, writing and general mathematics.

"Pathophysiology, which looks at how disease processes affect the different body systems, seems to be one of the more difficult courses for nursing students, so we wanted to give camp participants an introduction to the course," said Dr. Smith, assistant chair of the Department of Health Environments and Systems.

Participants also will spend time in the MCG Interdisciplinary Simulation Center and shadow MCGHealth Inc. nurses.

This summer's camp is expanding to accept 15 participants from across Georgia. Last year, there were six local participants. Special consideration is given to applicants who are under-represented in nursing, which includes minorities, males and students from educationally or economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

"The community we serve is very diverse, and traditionally we haven't had a large number of diverse students from under-represented backgrounds entering any of the health professions," said Dr. Smith. "When you have health care professionals from various perspectives and backgrounds, you have better outreach to everyone in the community."

"Two students from last year's program are now enrolled and successfully advancing in our nursing program," said Dr. Shirley Quarles, co-director of the Nursing Workforce Diversity Project and interim chair of the Department of Physiological and Technological Nursing. "We look forward to continued successful matriculation of students from diverse backgrounds."

For more information or to apply, visit www.mcg.edu/son/initiatives/diversity.htm.

By Paula Hinely
MCG

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Two-part Gift Expands Clinical Nurse Leader Program and Creates Endowment

The Medical College of Georgia has received a $1.27 million two-part gift from the Helene Fuld Health Trust to expand nursing education in Georgia.

An approximately $1 million component of the gift, given over three years, allows MCG's School of Nursing to partner with the nursing schools of Macon State University and Georgia Southwestern University to expand the clinical nurse leader program.

MCG's master's-level, 16-month clinical nurse leader program is the first its kind in Georgia and fourth in the Southeast. It aims to reduce the nursing shortage by offering advanced degrees to those with non-nursing backgrounds, so students with a baccalaureate or higher degree in a non-nursing field can obtain a master's degree in nursing at an accelerated pace.

"We anticipate admitting eight clinical nurse leader students to each of these campuses as early as fall 2009," said School of Nursing Dean Lucy N. Marion. "This gift is clearly testimony to the strength of our clinical nurse leader program leadership, our entire enterprise and the quality of our employees and students."

Quoting from President Daniel W. Rahn’s 2008 State of the University Address, she noted, “We must be 'brave enough to clear paths through unfamiliar terrain to achieve greater efficiencies and shared success in unconventional ways.' With this gift, we are clearing those paths and achieving those successes."

The second award is a $250,000 endowment gift to provide scholarships for baccalaureate students in the MCG School of Nursing.

"This endowment gives us an unprecedented opportunity in the School of Nursing," said Dean Marion. "It is the largest undergraduate scholarship amount we have ever received and will undoubtedly aid in recruitment and support of exceptional students, ultimately helping alleviate the nation’s nursing shortage."

The Helene Fuld Health Trust is the nation's largest private foundation devoted exclusively to nursing students and nursing education. For more information, visit www.fuldtrust.org.

By Amy Connell
Medical College of Georgia

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MCG Nursing School to Host Fall Information Session

Individuals interested in advanced nursing education at the Medical College of Georgia can learn more about the graduate programs at the School of Nursing's annual Fall Information Session, Oct. 25.

The free session, held from 8:30-11 a.m. in room 1222 of the Health Sciences Building, 987 St. Sebastian Way, will feature presentations from graduate program directors representing each of the eight programs.

"We are very excited about the opportunities for nurses and non-nurses to continue their education and help maximize the contributions they can make to improve health care delivery through practice, education and research," says Dr. Janie Heath, associate dean of academic affairs.

Breakfast will be served. For more information, or to R.S.V.P., contact Nashona Thompson, office specialist, at 706-721-3237 or www.mcg.edu/son/GraduateInformationSession.

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West Georgia Announces School of Nursing

The University of West Georgia announces the establishment of a School of Nursing, effective September 2008. Since it became a program of study in 1974, nursing has been a department in the College of Arts and Sciences. With its dramatic growth in offerings and enrollment in the past few years, nursing can better serve its students, faculty and the community by its designation as an autonomous unit and separate school at UWG.

Dr. Thomas J. Hynes, provost for UWG, supported the new organizational structure as a means to enhance UWG’s efforts to provide nurses for the state of Georgia.

“Separate school status for nursing is timely as this structure will better prepare the university to assist our nursing program in its efforts to adapt to the changing environment of health care and the growing demand for nurses within that changing environment,” Hynes said.

Georgia and the United States are experiencing severe shortages of nurses providing direct patient care in the community; and colleges and universities are experiencing severe shortages in nursing faculty. In addition to providing quality nurses for the citizens of Georgia, recognition as a School of Nursing will increase UWG’s program visibility, and facilitate the recruitment and retention of high quality students and faculty members.

Dr. Kathryn Grams, formerly the chair of the Department of Nursing, has been named as the first dean of the new UWG School of Nursing, which offers Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Nursing and enrolls students on campuses in Carrollton, Dalton, Newnan and Rome.

“In the last academic year, 117 graduates received degrees in nursing with 99 percent of the pre-licensure graduates passing the national licensing exam on their first attempt,” Grams said. “This year, more than 325 students are enrolled in nursing courses and more than 800 have declared nursing as a major at UWG.”

All current degree programs are nationally accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education and the BSN programs have full approval by the Georgia Board of Nursing.
Funding for a School of Nursing facility is on the capital request list for the University System of Georgia and it is hoped that funding for the design of the facility will be approved during the upcoming session of the General Assembly.

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