$1 million gift will help launch graduate program in nursing

At a ceremony Wednesday morning, Salve Regina officials were joined by Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) in announcing the establishment of the University’s new graduate program in nursing, as well as a $1 million gift from the Rodgers Family Foundation to help launch it.

Enrollment for the 78-credit, practice-based program resulting in the terminal degree in the field, the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), is underway for classes beginning in fall 2014.

“We are proud to continue our longstanding tradition of educating nursing professionals to be exceptional caregivers and leaders in their field – hallmarks of the Salve Regina nursing graduate,” said President Jane Gerety, RSM.

Established in 1948, Salve Regina’s baccalaureate degree nursing program is the oldest in Rhode Island. The new DNP curriculum builds on the baccalaureate program by providing clinical preparation as an advance practice nurse, education in evidence-based practice, quality improvement, and systems thinking among other key areas.

DNP graduates will likely seek practice leadership roles such as advanced practice nurses, managers of quality initiatives, executives in health care organizations, directors of clinical programs, and faculty responsible for clinical program delivery and clinical teaching.

The program will admit nurses prepared with Bachelor of Science degrees in nursing. The first 48 credits of the program will allow students to earn a Master of Science degree in nursing and prepare them to sit for the family nurse practitioner certification examination. The second 30 credits of the program will allow students to proceed to the terminal DNP degree.

Offered at the Center for Adult Education in Warwick, hybrid courses are specifically designed for nurses seeking to balance their professional careers and academic pursuits. Part-time students can complete the DNP program in five years, including summer instruction.

Salve Regina’s baccalaureate program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), which represents the highest level of nursing accreditation possible for baccalaureate nursing programs.

For more information or to apply to the program, visit www.salve.edu/graduate-studies or call the Office of Graduate Studies and Continuing Education at (800) 637-0002 or (401) 341-2128.