Doctor of Nursing Practice degree coming to ECU

 College of Nursing  No Responses »
Feb 152013
 

East Carolina University College of Nursing will be home to a new degree program in the fall! The UNC Board of Governors gave approval for ECU to offer a doctor of nursing practice degree beginning in August 2013.

Recent studies by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Institute of Medicine call for nurses to achieve higher education levels to meet changing healthcare needs. For nurse practitioners and other advance practice nurses this means additional education with a strong focus on clinical practice.

East Carolina’s doctor of nursing practice program coursework is 100% online, and clinical practice sites include primary care clinics, hospitals, and public health care agencies. Students are required to attend skills sessions at the College of Nursing several times a year.

As a leader in distance education, ECU has invested in the technology and resources to make the program successful. The College of Nursing is nationally recognized for online graduate education, so the new degree will be a natural fit in a graduate program with a proven history of successful online course delivery. Students can expect interactive coursework and considerable experience with our virtual clinic environment.

The initial DNP student cohort is for master’s prepared advance practice nurses. The program will be available to Registered Nurses with bachelor’s degrees in fall 2014. Prospective students may contact Dr. Bobby Lowery, director of DNP implementation, for application information.

Sylvia T. Brown, EdD, RN, CNE
Dean and Professor

Nursing Job Opportunities Increase

 College of Nursing  No Responses »
Aug 242012
 

The Affordable Care Act was upheld by the Supreme Court on June 28 and this historic decision puts nursing programs in an interesting position.  Even in a time of budget shortfalls, ECU College of Nursing is looking to the future with optimism and a sense of opportunity.

HealtheCareers’ second quarter Healthcare Jobs Snapshot confirms the opportunities that exist in the nursing profession. The number of job openings for nurse practitioners increased 16% and the number of vacancies for Registered Nurses increased 40% during the second quarter.

Today, nurse practitioners have prescription writing authority in all states and provide valuable patient care services in roles such as family, adult, women’s health, pediatrics, psych/mental health, and nurse-midwifery. Nurse practitioners will provide healthcare to many of the 30 million people who gain coverage under the new law.

Registered Nurses are needed to fill positions vacated by retiring nurses. One caveat with the increased need for nurses is that vacancies occur in advanced positions and hospitals are seeking seasoned nurses to fill these openings. As seasoned nurses accept advanced positions, new nurses will see openings in entry-level positions.

Yes, budgets are tight and nursing programs are feeling the economic impact, but nursing programs must continue to seek ways to expand offerings to meet the needs created by the Affordable Care Act.

Sylvia T. Brown, EdD, RN, CNE
Dean and Professor
ECU College of Nursing