News release from IPFW:
Purdue Board of Trustees Approves Doctor of Nursing Program at IPFW
(December 16, 2013) – The Board of Trustees of Purdue University today approved a system-wide proposal for a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), the first doctorate degree program ever to be offered at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW).
“This is a major milestone for IPFW and is in response to community needs in advanced nursing practice,” said Vicky Carwein, chancellor of IPFW. “This program will put more nurses out on the front lines who possess the highest level of clinical education.”
The first students in the DNP program will be admitted for spring 2015, following an accreditation visit. It is anticipated that the program will enroll 10 students in the first year.
“The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) will provide nurses the opportunity to advance their education, preparing them to be full partners in transforming nursing and healthcare through direct care, leadership, and interprofessional collaboration,” said Carol Sternberger, associate vice chancellor for faculty development and professor of nursing. “The DNP will be the first doctoral level system-wide program within the Purdue University system. The ability of IPFW to offer the DNP fulfills a local, state, and national need for nurses prepared at the practice doctorate level. The DNP, offered by IPFW, is supported by the area healthcare industry, Ivy Tech Community College, and the Indiana University School of Medicine-Fort Wayne (IUSM).”
“There are already existing collaborations between IUSM and Nursing and I look forward to expanding our work even more as a result of this practice-based degree,” said Fen-Lei Chang, associate dean and director of the Indiana University School of Medicine, Fort Wayne campus.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts about 233,000 additional jobs will open for registered nurses each year through 2016, on top of about 2.5 million existing positions.
This is the first doctoral degree program that regional campuses will be able to offer, pending Indiana Commission of Higher Education (ICHE) approval early in 2014.
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