Nursing School Adopts New Departmental Structure

A new organizational structure in the School of Nursing has been developed in response to dramatic growth within the school and fundamental changes in the nation’s healthcare environment.

Previously, the School of Nursing was organized with two departments—undergraduate and graduate nursing. The school now has three departments, each focusing on a related group of academic programs:

  • Undergraduate—chaired by Dr. Mark Crider: focusing on the BSN, Second-Degree BSN, BSN and Biomedical Engineering, and the RN-BSN programs
  • Advanced Practice—chaired by Dr. Catherine Johnson: focusing on the FNP (Family Nurse Practitioner) and DNP (Doctor of Nursing Practice) programs
  • Advanced Role and Ph.D. Program—Dr. Rick Zoucha: focusing on the forensic nursing, nursing education and Ph.D. programs.
Dr. Mark Crider

Growth and changes in healthcare are driving the need for this reorganization, said Nursing Dean Dr. Mary Ellen Glasgow. Over the last two years, she explained, the School of Nursing’s enrollment has increased by 35 percent, with the largest portion of that increase among Second-Degree BSN students, followed by students in the master’s programs.

Additionally, an aging population, the adoption of the federal Affordable Care Act and the ongoing expansion of healthcare regulations have created a need for advanced practice nurses, who have special credentials and knowledge and skills exceeding those of a registered nurse.

Dr. Catherine Johnson

With advanced practice nursing promising to be an area of dramatic growth in the coming years, the School of Nursing’s reorganization, which now includes a department devoted to advanced practice, is a fundamental strategic response. It is one that Glasgow believes will bring growth potential for the school’s FNP and DNP programs as well as its yet-to-be-developed programs in advanced practice psychiatric-mental health, pediatric and acute adult-gerontology programs.

Dr. Rick Zoucha

Glasgow stressed that mentoring faculty members is an important goal of these changes, as is nurturing interdisciplinary program opportunities within the University, such as in the fields of healthcare ethics and business. “Fundamentally, we are positioning ourselves for increased growth and quality,” Glasgow said. “The re-organization is also going to make a positive impact on our students’ experience.”