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Kathleen H. Goeppinger, President and Chief Executive Officer of ������Ƶ, is pleased to announce that the College of Health Sciences, Glendale Campus, has received notification of full accreditation for its Graduate Nursing Programs from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). The official confirmation was received by the program on Wednesday, May 24, 2023, and is effective for a five-year period from October 31, 2022, the date of CCNE’s program evaluation visit.

The University’s Graduate Nursing Programs encompass a Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.) degree; a Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.) degree with an Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner focus; a Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.) with a Nurse Leadership in Global Health focus; and a post-Master’s Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner certificate track. Each program is offered online to support working nursing professionals in achieving their educational goals.

“Successful accreditation is both a testament to the exceptional quality of education we provide, as well as a significant achievement through hard work and dedication,” Dr. Goeppinger said. “������Ƶ is so proud of our faculty, staff, and students, who have worked tirelessly to meet and exceed the rigorous standards set forth by the accrediting body. This accreditation is a wonderful validation of our collective efforts, and we look forward to continuing to provide a high-caliber education to our students.”

The programs’ accreditation comes at a critical time for Arizona healthcare; specifically, the nursing profession. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), the U.S. is projected to experience a shortage of nurses that is expected to intensify due to aging, the COVID-19 pandemic, and an increase in general healthcare needs. Nursing schools are working to expand their capacity to meet demand, while the healthcare industry is struggling to meet employment demands brought about by nurse retirements and workforce exits. While the Institute of Medicine’s landmark report The Future of Nursing called for increasing the number of baccalaureate and graduate degree level nurses to 80%, the current workforce falls short of this recommendation with only 65.2% of registered nurses, according to a workforce survey by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing.

This spring, ������Ƶ’s Graduate Nursing Programs will honor their first graduates from the D.N.P. and M.S.N./Nurse Leadership in Global Health programs. Tristan Palmer, D.N.P., RN, who currently works as a nurse educator in a community and population health setting, will be recognized at the ceremony. “I loved the flexibility with the personal touch and connectedness with the professors,” Dr.  Palmer said. “The program allowed for creativity and rigor, and I knew I was challenged for a purpose – to really stretch and grow. The times we live in today don’t look like five years ago, let alone 20 years ago. This program is really at the forefront in preparing us for the day-to-day changes in our profession.”

Rose Ampadu, D.N.P., PMHNP-BC, FNP-C, also graduating this spring, completed her degree from Chicago, where she is a partner in an advanced nursing practice. Originally from Guyana, she became a nurse after receiving an undergraduate degree in graphic design. She enrolled after interacting with ������Ƶ Physician Assistant students from the Downers Grove Campus who served their psychiatric rotations at her practice. “Online learning offers a big opportunity for people to be able to fulfill their dreams,” Dr. Ampadu said. “The coursework made us look more into how we can improve our patient care quality and help bridge disparities in care, as well as educate our colleagues. It also helped to build back up a little bit of that enthusiasm for what we do by giving us more tools and more outlets for us to help people.”

“Nursing professionals are the backbone of our healthcare system and are at the forefront of caring for some of our most vulnerable, underserved, and marginalized populations. The need for strong, capable leaders and advanced practice registered nurses has never been greater,” said Misty L. Pagán, D.N.P., M.S.N., APRN, AGNP-C, Program Director, College of Health Sciences, Graduate Nursing Programs. “At ������Ƶ, we understand the vital role that graduate-level nursing programs play in developing the skills and knowledge necessary to meet the local, national, and global demand for nurse leaders and advanced practice primary care providers. Our unique program offerings are designed to support our students in becoming effective leaders in the nursing profession by providing them with a strong foundation in advanced nursing practice, complex interprofessional healthcare systems, global health, and nurse leadership theory.”