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Pocono News Section
New Doctor of Nursing Degree Program
New Doctor of Nursing Degree Program - Thursday, December 10, 2009 at 5:45PM EST
Thursday, Dec 10, 2009 @ 05:45pm EST
Wilkes University announced its new doctor of nursing practice degree Thursday afternoon.
The school hopes it will change the face of nursing education in Northeastern Pennsylvania .
Deborah Zbegener will co-chair the new program.
She said, "We're ecstatic! It's been a long process and it's certainly a matter of professionalism in the valley and moving the nursing profession forward."
The doctor of nursing practice is becoming the industry standard for advanced practice nurses.
That includes jobs like nurse parishioners, midwives and clinical nurse specialists.
Classes for this degree start in summer 2010.
Nursing students here in northeastern Pennsylvania no longer need to travel to bigger cities to pursue this degree.
Wanda Ruppert is an assistant nursing professor at Wilkes University .
She said, "They'll say have you heard of any programs coming to this area? I don't really want to trek all the way to Philadelphia or Pittsburgh , because those tend to be the places, or New York . So it's a great opportunity."
Most of the classes for this degree will be offered online.
When students aren’t taking online classes they will complete some of their work at the on campus clinical nursing simulation center.
But online work will make it easier for the working nurse.
Wilkes Deparment of Nursing Chair Dr. Mary Ann Merrigan said, “I would say that close to 100 percent of the nurses are going to be practicing. So certainly it is much more convenient for one to be able to do this at work, at home, you know, everywhere."
Wilkes Unversity says the first class for this degree will include about 20 students.
The university says about fifteen percent of nursing education programs in the U. S. offer this degree.
The school says fewer offer the coursework online. | | |
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