AROUND THE COLLEGE

KEEPING OUR ENVIRONMENT SAFE

When our students come to campus, our number one priority is keeping them safe. Whether they are coming for a simulation exercise or to pickup their nursing kits and stethoscopes you can be rest assured that we have precautions in place to protect the health of our students, faculty and staff.

CON OPENS TWO PROGRAMS TO ADDRESS CRITICAL NEEDS

MUSC offers country's first DNP in palliative care

The Medical University of South Carolina College of Nursing was approved by the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education to offer the United States first known Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree with a palliative care concentration. The new online program was created to meet the growing demand for health care providers who are equipped with the knowledge and skills to effectively manage care for individuals and families living with a serious illness. This unique program focuses on the value of palliative care as a basic human right and the care of individuals with life-threatening, progressive illnesses, emphasizing respect for patients’ and families’ beliefs, values, and choices. The Post-master’s Doctor of Nursing Practice in Lifespan Palliative Care program meets the needs of advanced practice nurses who want to gain a deeper understanding of the physical, psychological, spiritual, and social needs of patients and their families who live with a serious illness from the time of diagnosis through end of life and bereavement. The curriculum, designed to be completed in five semesters, will prepare the graduate to use analytical methods to improve quality and safety in healthcare systems through organizational leadership, systems thinking, and practice management in palliative care. Palliative care is the practice of providing symptom relief from serious and/or life-limiting illness while promoting and improving the quality of life for both the patient and their families. Often confused with hospice or end-of-life care, palliative care is a central part of treatment and support, based upon unique expertise, delivered at any time during the trajectory of a serious or life-limiting illness. The goal is to prevent and ease suffering and improve quality of life. “We listened to our students, and many working nurses who expressed the need for advanced education and training because they feel they are not adequately prepared to lead and direct the treatment of complex health challenges faced by those who need palliative care,” said Linda Weglicki, Ph.D., R.N., dean of the College of Nursing. “Last year, there were only 219 certified palliative care nurses and 104 physicians board certified in palliative medicine in South Carolina. It is clear that more doctorally prepared nurses are needed to serve our state’s growing aging population, and those who are facing diagnoses associated with serious and life-limiting illnesses.” Graduates of DNP in palliative care program will not only learn how to communicate effectively with their patients and families, but they will become experts to others on how to successfully integrate palliative care into the standard of practice of

New mental health certification helps address a critical need

The MUSC College of Nursing continues to address the mental health challenges in South Carolina and around the country by opening a new post-graduate certificate program. The new online Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) – Lifespan Certification aims to address critical shortages of mental health care providers in this state and beyond. The certificate program also includes two new innovative courses focused on neuroscience, psychopharmacology, and psychotherapy. The PMHNP certificate allows advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) to provide a continuum of mental health treatment, support, recovery, and prevention services across the patient's lifespan. It also will allow APRNs to expand their scope of practice by attaining a second certification in psychiatric mental health, in addition to their primary care or acute care certifications. Joy Lauerer, DNP, APRN, a psychiatric mental health clinical nurse specialist and associate professor, is lead faculty of the program. "The new post-MSN PMHNP certificate program will integrate innovative aspects of telemedicine, palliative care, and care for rural disadvantaged at-risk populations," she said. The need for qualified mental health professionals in the United States has never been greater. According to the American Psychiatric Nurses Association, one in every five adults in the U.S. experiences a mental health condition in a given year. In addition to the growing need for mental health services, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration predicts the field of mental health will be 250,000 professionals short of the projected demand by 2025. The part-time program, which takes four semesters to complete, is available to APRN licensed primary care or acute care certified nurse practitioners and certified clinical nurse specialists in psychiatric-mental health. The post-masters PMHNP certificate program will prepare qualified nurses to sit for the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner certification exam.