advance your career master s programs developed with you in mind

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1 advance your career master s programs developed with you in mind

2 One thing I ve learned at UC Denver is that nursing is more than just caring for the patient s physical needs; it s about caring for the whole person. At the College of Nursing you experience that firsthand with the incredible professors, most of whom are practicing clinicians and truly care about the success of their students, both personally and academically. There are many schools where you learn skills, but at UC Denver, you learn how to be a nursing leader. Brandyn Herrera, nursing student Balancing clinical practice with teaching truly enriches the experience for students and me. Vicki Erickson, (above) PhD, RN, associate professor and director of the master s and doctor of nursing practice programs Not all nursing schools can boast faculty who are as expert and active in clinical practice as they are in educating future nurse practitioners. The College of Nursing s professors are described as approachable, willing mentors and preceptors who hold their students to high standards. As a result, students gain valuable clinical experience in nurse managed health centers or faculty practice sites, including magnet hospitals adjacent to the college. With one of the largest nursing faculty practices in the U.S., many of our students have clinical experiences in our nurse managed health centers or faculty practice sites.

3 make a difference to your patients and your community At the University of Colorado Denver College of Nursing, we know you re interested in advancing your career. But how do you do this and continue to practice your profession? Consider a master s degree. Our programs are flexible and convenient. opportunity An advanced nursing degree has been shown to improve the quality of patient care and outcomes and offers more opportunity for nurses seeking greater challenges and career mobility. environment The University of Colorado Denver College of Nursing is located on an integrated, modern, health sciences city at the Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora. The campus offers extraordinary opportunities two acclaimed magnet hospitals (The Children s Hospital and University of Colorado Hospital), landmark research and faculty who are as well regarded in nursing and clinical practice as they are dedicated to the success of their students. Shared education zones with the schools of medicine, dental medicine and pharmacy offer additional opportunities for you to develop your career in health sciences. flexibility You don t have to leave your job while you work toward a master s degree; our programs are flexible and convenient, with many courses offered online and at distance-education sites. Whether your passion is helping children heal, supporting adults at end of life, promoting healthy families, serving the underserved or mentally ill, or researching ways to improve health care delivery, the University of Colorado Denver College of Nursing will help you develop the expertise, skills and patient-care experience to take your career to the next level. Front cover: Jesse...

4 choice The University of Colorado Denver College of Nursing has had more than a century to establish its reputation as one of the best in the country. We re known for our pioneering initiatives, including being the birthplace of the first nurse practitioner program in the world and offering online education many years before other schools. Four of our nurse practitioner and specialty options are among the top ten in the nation, a rarity among nursing schools. You can choose from nine specialty options (national rankings included): Adult Clinical Nurse Specialist #6 Adult Nurse Practitioner #8 Family Nurse Practitioner #5 Health Care Informatics Nurse Midwifery Pediatric Nursing Leadership Pediatric Nurse Practitioner #3 Women s Health Care Nurse Practitioner Family Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner admission, etc. Whatever your career goals, the University of Colorado Denver College of Nursing can help you achieve them. For detailed information about admission requirements, tuition and fees, financial aid and scholarships, or to schedule an information session, please visit our Web site or call us at My previous degree is in premedicine, but I chose nursing because I feel I can make a bigger difference in the lives of patients nurses interact with patients and their families on a one-to-one basis every day. I work in the ICU step-down unit of a Denver hospital, and often I am the voice of the patients and their families who are commonly in crisis when I see them. Realizing I ve had a positive effect on my patients lets me know that I chose the right field. Jessie Tate, 2008 graduate

5 Amy Quinones: A practicing nurse working on a master s degree Going for a master s degree: I wanted to expand my career options. The nurse practitioner s role is growing. Nurse practitioners are intrinsically advocates for patients. My patients say nurse practitioners listen carefully and make sure that patients understand everything before they walk out the door. I want to be part of that. Choosing UC Denver: I applied to many programs but was attracted to the strong clinical rotations at the UC Denver College of Nursing. Most proud of: Being able to continue working while going to school. It s daunting to go back to school after earning a living as a nurse, but the program s flexibility lets me do both. It takes a little longer, but it s worth it so I can keep working, which augments my learning and vice versa. Best source of academic support: My professors. They re very willing to be mentors and are very approachable, as well as being great preceptors. Greatest victory: Learning Spanish it makes a huge difference. And keeping my grades up.

6 Ruth Garcia: Spreading health care like apple seeds Going for a master s degree: A master s will give me the opportunity to teach, diagnose and treat patients. If I can educate families, word will spread in their communities and the patients themselves will propagate healthy behaviors. I can become a Johnny Appleseed for primary health care. Choosing UC Denver: It offered opportunities to build on my science degree. The college values the nontraditional student. I knew that as a highly ranked school, the curriculum had to be up-to-date and challenging. In-state tuition was also attractive. Most proud of: Graduating from a program in which my professors hold their students to a high educational and work ethic. If you show a desire to excel, they push you to accomplish more than you ever expected. Agencies have offered me positions; they say I ve been exceptionally prepared by the program. Best source of academic support: The professors. They have always taken time to answer questions and mentor me. I never feel that I am bothering them but just the opposite that they are primarily there for me. Greatest victory: Having my instructors acknowledge my progress in clinical rotations and having graduated from such an excellent program. We are, after all, one of the best. Photograph: Kristen Kendall (left) and Ruth Garcia tend to a patient in the simulation lab.

7 the College of Nursing We have a distinguished history with pace-setting milestones founded in 1898 with a bachelor s program added in We created the first nurse practitioner and school nurse programs in the United States. We ve been offering distance education options for three decades. We started online education in 1996, the PhD program in 1978 and the DNP program in The College of Nursing s simulation (sim) lab houses speaking mannequins that have vital signs and mimic other body functions and responses. The sim lab allows you to make mistakes without hurting anyone, receive immediate feedback and recreate high-risk scenarios like hemorrhage and trauma. In the sim lab, you will also learn to communicate as a member of a health care team, a benefit to you considering that 73 percent of all medical errors are caused by miscommunication (Institute of Medicine, 2000). Our College of Nursing is consistently ranked by U.S. News & World Report. In 2008, four programs were in the top 10: Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Family Nurse Practitioner Adult Medical/Surgical Clinical Nurse Specialist Adult Practitioner The College of Nursing has four endowed chairs. Seventeen faculty are fellows of the American Academy of Nursing and 11 are fellows in specialty and practical societies. The College of Nursing is accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. The nurse midwifery master s specialty is further accredited by the American College of Nurse Midwives, Division of Accreditation. The College of Nursing faculty members are nationally and internationally acclaimed by their research, making a difference in clinical practice and health care. Please review their accomplishments at: take the nextapply step: or visit Take a deeper look at options for postgraduate study at the University of Colorado Denver College of Nursing. Our programs reflect the atmosphere of change, challenge and learning opportunities that can lead to classroom teaching and research. For More Information: Graduate Programs Office: Admissions, College of Nursing: Financial Aid:

8 University of Colorado Denver College of Nursing E. 19th Ave. Aurora, CO The College of Nursing is located on the Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, Colorado, the builtfrom-the-ground-up health care hub of the Rocky Mountain region. Here, world-class research, teaching and patient care are integrated to change lives, save lives and build futures. Coloradans are serious about their recreation. They love the opportunities for mild-weather hiking, biking, kayaking, rafting, rock climbing, fishing, golfing and camping and the winter choices for downhill and crosscountry skiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing.