An Invitation to Apply: Creighton University School of Nursing Nurse Practitioner Program Chair Creighton University School of Nursing offers value-centered educational programs that provide opportunities and guidance for students to develop their intellectual, spiritual and physical potential and to master the knowledge and skills necessary to practice professional nursing. These programs are designed to prepare nurses whose role is to provide comfort and dignity in life and to promote, maintain or restore health, not as an end in itself but as a means to life that is meaningful and manageable THE SEARCH The Creighton University School of Nursing invites inquiries, nominations and applications for the position of Nurse Practitioner Program Chair. The School of Nursing seeks a visionary and dynamic leader with a strong commitment to excellence in nursing education, demonstrated administrative skills and the ability to lead the program to the next level of excellence. The Nurse Practitioner (NP) Program Chair is responsible for the administration and daily functions of a NP academic program. The Chair provides leadership for curriculum integrity and student and faculty achievement of scholarship goals. The Chair reports to the Associate Dean for Academic and Clinical Affairs. Requirements include a PhD degree in Nursing or related field, demonstrated expertise in nursing, successful college teaching experience, evidence of leadership abilities and capacity to serve as a resource person, current RN licensure in Nebraska or eligibility for licensure as a family nurse practitioner (FNP) in Nebraska. 1
CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY Creighton University (CU) is a co-educational post-secondary institution located in Omaha, Nebraska, a metropolitan area with a population of about 700,000. It is operated by the Catholic order of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits). Today, CU stands as the most complex Jesuit University of its size in the nation and continues to offer higher education in the context of Christian values. Its motto is Anchored in Ethics; Centered on Service; Pledged to Excellence. CU is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (1997-2007) and is recognized nationally for excellence in a number of areas. Creighton University has been ranked among the top Colleges and Universities by U. S. News & World Report for the past 9 years. Kiplinger s Personal Finance Magazine has ranked CU among the Top 100 Private University Best Buys and Yahoo!Internet Life magazine has ranked CU among the nation s Top Wired Campuses. Approximately 6,773 students (3,931 undergraduates and 2,802 graduate and professional students), representing every state and 65 countries, are currently enrolled in CU s nine colleges and schools: the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Business Administration, University College and the Schools of Dentistry, Law, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy and Health Professions and the Graduate School. These colleges and schools are administered by two academic vice presidents. The College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Business Administration, the School of Law and the Graduate School are under the aegis of the Vice President for Academic Affairs. The Schools of Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy and Health Professions are administered by the Vice President for Health Sciences. CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER Creighton University Medical Center is a comprehensive health care, research and education system, made up of the University's primary teaching hospital and the Schools of Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing, Pharmacy and Health Professions. Our reach extends throughout the region and across many disciplines with the Creighton Family Health Care clinics, Creighton Medical Associates, Creighton Dental Associates, Creighton Medical Laboratories and the Creighton University Center for Health Policy and Ethics. Creighton University Medical Center is built on centers of excellence in cardiac care, hard-tissue research and osteoporosis, hereditary cancer, patient outcomes research and health policy and ethics. Our physician/researchers are significant contributors to national health care and educational advancements. In the Jesuit Catholic tradition of cura personalis, care for the whole person - mind, body and spirit, Creighton University Medical Center is a sophisticated, diverse, broadly based 2
academic medical center where passionate teachers, dedicated researchers and compassionate caregivers combine to deliver the finest quality patient care, education and scientific endeavor. Our patients, our students and the well-being of the community are at the core of our healing mission. For more than 125 years, Creighton University Medical Center has served as a vital source of health care and education in Omaha, Nebraska and the Great Plains. Growing with the thriving region that we serve, we have adapted to the needs of the people today, while never forgetting the values that formed our past. CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF NURSING Overview History The Nursing program began at Creighton University in 1928 as a department in the College of Arts and Sciences. In 1971, the department of nursing was separated from the College of Arts and Sciences, and the College of Nursing was established. In 1978, the College of Nursing became the School of Nursing. In 1985, the school was expanded to include a campus in Hastings, Nebraska. Creighton University School of Nursing offers both undergraduate and graduate education. Both programs are fully accredited by the Commission of Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). The School of Nursing s baccalaureate program is composed of three curricular tracks, all leading to the Bachelor s of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree. The traditional track is designed for high school graduates who are first time university students and is offered on both the Omaha and Hastings campuses. The Accelerated Nursing Cirriculum (ANC) track is designed for students who hold a minimum of a bachelor s degree in another field. The Linking Education and Practice (LEAP) curriculum was developed in 1997 sepciafically to enable registered nurses (RNs) holding and associate degree ot diploma in nursing to earn a BSN. A program of graduate study in nursing was esdtablished in 1981 through the Graduate School and leds to a Master of Science (MS) degree. Originally, the curriculum provided a single broad clinical focus (family nurse clinician) and a choice of two role options (nurse educator or manager). The nurse practitioner option was added in 1995. Current advanced practice options include family nurse practitioner, adult nurse practitioner, and neonatal nurse practitioner and clinical nurse specialist. Blended options are available in cardiovascular health, gerontology, community health and behavioral health. A Nursing 3
Systems Administrative track is also offered. administered by the Dean of the Graduate School. The MS in Nursing Program is Leadership Eleanor Howell is the dean of the School of Nursing at Creighton University Medical Center. From 1998 to her appointment as dean in 2003, Dr. Howell served as associate dean for academic and clinical affairs, responsible for graduate and undergraduate nursing programs on campuses in Omaha and Hastings, Nebraska. Prior to joining Creighton, Howell was associate professor and coordinator of special projects at the School of Nursing at Auburn University in Alabama where she generated and coordinated faculty practice and service contracts. Dr. Howell s teaching career began at the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 1981, and includes coordinating a graduate program in nursing administration, and teaching in a geriatric education center, a trauma clinical nursing specialist program and in an interdisciplinary injury control research center. Dr. Howell received her BSN from the Medical College of Georgia, her MSN in cardiovascular nursing from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), and Ph.D. in administration health services from the School of Business and School of Health Related Professions at UAB. Dr. Howell serves as an on-site evaluator for the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education and a Magnet Recognition Program appraiser for the American Nurses Credentialing Center. She is active in international health care and has participated in curriculum reform in China, nursing education seminars in the United Kingdom, and management training workshops for physicians from Azerbaijan and the Republics of Georgia and Armenia. She served as a member of a project team with the American International Health Alliance that applied evidencebased nursing practice standards to hospitals in Armenia. ACADEMIC PROGRAMS The Graduate Nursing Program The Graduate Nursing Program at Creighton University prepares graduates for advanced clinical competencies and provides them with the knowledge needed to fulfill specialized roles in the changing health care environment. The program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Creighton University is fully accredited by the North Central Association. The graduate nursing curriculum has evolved from Creighton University's mission statement that purports, "service to others...the inalienable worth of each individual, and the appreciation of ethnic and cultural diversity." The program s goals are directed toward preparing students for the roles of Nurse Practitioner, Clinical Nurse Specialist, and Nursing Systems Administrator. A program of graduate study in nursing is offered leading to the degree of Master of Science (M.S). Students complete core requirements and a clinical focus (as a neonatal, family or adult 4
nurse practitioner or as a clinical specialist) or a role option as a nursing systems administrator. Specialty areas within the clinical specialist role are available for cardiac health, wellness or rehabilitation; community health, gerontology and behavioral health. Combined options include the curriculums of a clinical nurse specialist with that of a nurse practitioner for Community Health Specialist and Family Nurse Practitioner, Cardiac Health, Wellness and Rehabilitation; adult nurse practitioner with gerontology; clinical nurse specialist with education and nurse practitioner with education. A Post Master s Certificate for the adult and family nurse practitioner roles as well as the behavioral health clinical nurse specialist is also offered. Presently the graduate program in nursing consists of 12 doctorally prepared faculty with expertise in areas of administration, education and advanced practice nursing (CNS or NP). In addition, several who are masters prepared and serve as clinical practicum faculty: 2 family nurse practitioners (FNPs), 1 adult nurse practitioner (ANP), 1 pediatric nurse practitioner (PNP), and 1 neonatal nurse practitioner (NNP). In addition, 2 FNPs and 1 ANP will be transitioning to the graduate program as NP clinical faculty. The School currently has 91 students enrolled in the graduate program of which 59 are FNPs, 14 are ANPs and 12 are NNPs. The Nurse Practitioner Programs The nurse practitioner track was added in 1995, followed by a post-master s certificate option. Access for primary and preventive health care for broad segments of the population including the medically underserved has been the battle cry for national, state, and local public agencies for more than a decade (Department of Health and Human Services, 1991; Institute of Medicine, 1994; Nebraska Nurses Association, 1996). To meet these needs, CUSON presently offers the following advanced practice tracks: Nurse Practitioner (NP), Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS), and the blended NP/CNS track. Clinical Nurse Specialist Program This program prepares nurses for advanced practice and case management in specialized areas such as behavioral health, cardiac health, wellness & rehabilitation, community health nursing, and/or gerontological nursing. Masters in Nursing Systems Administration The Masters in Nursing Systems Administration prepares nurse leaders with a unique blend of management and nursing skills for pursuit of senior management health careers. 5
Undergraduate Programs Traditional Bachelor of Science Program The traditional bachelor of Science in nursing (BSN) program is designed for high school graduates who are first time university students and is offered on both the Omaha and Hastings campuses. Accelerated Nursing Curriculum (ANC) Program The Accelerated Nursing Curriculum (ANC) program, initiated at Creighton University in May of 1975, is a one-calendar-year program for individuals who hold non-nursing baccalaureate or higher degrees. Before admission to the program, an individual must have completed the courses in the social and physical sciences or acceptable substitutes. The LEAP (Linking Education and Practice) Program The LEAP Program is a curriculum for RNs who hold an associate degree or diploma in nursing. Classes are held both on-line and on-campus. Performance Evaluation The Nurse Practitioner Program Chair will be evaluated by Associate Dean for Academic and Clinical Affairs. Performance evaluation takes place annually for Program Chairs with non-tenured faculty status and biennially for tenured faculty. Performance evaluation is conducted by the Associate Dean for Academic and Clinical Affairs. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE POSITION In collaboration with Associate Dean for Academic & Clinical Affairs, the Program Chair for the Nurse Practitioner Program will need to: A. Coordinate overall course and clinical schedules, faculty assignments, and clinical agency placements for effective use of fiscal, physical, and human resources. B. Participate in planning course goals and curriculum. C. Provide input and recommendations for budget preparation and allocation. D. Annually assist in revising program information in the Student Handbook. E. Participate in new faculty orientation. F. Participate in interviews of prospective faculty members. G. Provide formal input into annual faculty evaluation for those faculty who are teaching courses in the program. H. Participate in the hiring, delegation of duties, and evaluation of the support staff.in collaboration with Associate Dean for Student Affairs I. Implement the strategic plan for recruiting and retaining students, and evaluate the effectiveness of recruitment and retention efforts. 6
J. Assure student compliance with university policies and clinical agency contracts. K. Provide data for State Board of Nursing, NLN, AACN, and other reports. L. Assign advisors to program students. M. Implement registration procedures. N. Plan new student orientation program. O. Coordinate student support services, e.g., library services, pre-enrollment advising, technology training, social support networks. P. Participate in planning ceremonial events and activities (e.g., pinning, hooding). Q. Attend ceremonial functions to maintain the presence and image of the School. Committees: R. Serve as a member of the: 1. Recruitment and Retention Committee 2. Executive Committee 3. Council of Program Chairs 4. Other committees as needed 7
CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES OF THE POSITION The successful candidate for the Creighton University School of Nursing NP Program Chair position will demonstrate a commitment to excellence in research education and service. S/he will need to be entreprenurial and will face a number of challenges and unexploited opportunities, and must be able to: Collaborate effectively within the School of Nursing, and with other program chairs and leaders in other health sciences schools and the community for program development, planning and resource utilization. Contribute to increasing NP enrollment by building and implementing high quality programs that are recognized locally, as well as statewide and nationally. Provide leadership that is visible, transparent and caters to changing needs of the School, the Program and all key constituents. Effectively engage faculty, students and staff in a comfortable, productive manner. Encourage evidence-based practice in blending the research, clinical and instructional aspects of NP education. Advocate effectively for the School of Nursing and NP programs at the University, local, state and national levels. Harmonize with other functions within the School of Nursing and University-wide. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE IDEAL CANDIDATE The ideal candidate for this position will personify the mission and vision set forth by the Creighton University School of Nursing. While it is realized that no candidate will exhibit all desired qualities, the ideal candidate will possess the following: PhD in nursing or related field Demonstrated expertise in nursing, especially in the context of nursing practitioner (NP) education and service. Experience as a nursing educator in a college setting. Evidence of leadership abilities, including program development, planning and resource management. Eligibility for licensure as a family nurse practitioner (FNP) in Nebraska. Commitment to the Creighton University mission, including Jesuit principles pertaining to education and outreach to disadvantaged groups and individuals. Superior communication skills. Commitment to providing service to the community Skilled at balancing: o Risk with opportunity in leadership and decision-making. o Change with stability. 8
Strong clinical and educator skills. Effective problem-solving skills TO APPLY: The Search Committee is accepting applications immediately and will continue until the position is filled. Please send CV with cover letter, preferably by email, in strict confidence to: Sharon M. Flynn Hollander or Clifford R. Hollander The Hollander Group Info@thehollandergroup.net Creighton University is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer committed to excellence through diversity. 9