School of Nursing One of 12 Named NLN Center of Excellence

For the third consecutive time, the National League for Nursing (NLN) has designated the School of Nursing as an NLN Center of Excellence. Only 12 schools of nursing, representing programs across the academic spectrum of higher education, were chosen as NLN Centers of Excellence for the period 2015-2020.

According to the NLN, designation as a Center of Excellence in Nursing Education distinguishes those schools and healthcare organizations that demonstrate sustained, evidence-based and substantive innovation in a selected area; conduct ongoing research to document the effectiveness of such innovation; set high standards for themselves; and are committed to continuous quality improvement.

As part of its Center of Excellence designation, the School of Nursing was also recognized by the NLN for the third consecutive time in the category Creating Environments that Enhance Student Learning and Professional Development.

“We are extremely honored to be recognized as an NLN Center of Excellence and join some of the nation’s top nursing schools in this select group,” said Nursing Dean Dr. Mary Ellen Glasgow. “Duquesne was honored for its curricular innovations that embrace technology-infused education, community-based practice and ethical comportment.”

Each year since 2004, the NLN invites nursing schools to apply for Center of Excellence status based on their ability to demonstrate in concrete, measurable terms sustained excellence in faculty development, nursing education research or student learning and professional development. The schools must also have a proven commitment to continuous quality improvement.

“(The Centers of Excellence) visionary leadership and dedication to creating environments of inclusive excellence nurture the creation of a strong and diverse nursing workforce to advance the health of the nation and the global community,” said NLN Chief Executive Officer Dr. Beverly Malone.

The NLN also states that it looks to its Centers of Excellence to serve as exemplars of the NLN’s core values—excellence, integrity, diversity and caring. In addition, “(their) faculty bear a responsibility to share their experience, knowledge and wisdom for the benefit of everyone in nursing education. They are expected to provide guidance and be available as sounding boards to other nursing programs that aim to achieve (Center of Excellence) status.”

Duquesne and the other recently designated schools will be formally recognized at the NLN’s 2015 Education Summit in Las Vegas on Friday, Oct. 2.