The Rationale for Maintaining Increased Enrollment
The rationale for maintaining MEPN increased enrollment at 60 students in the 2015-17 Cohort and future MEPN cohorts is enumerated below.
• Overall Quality of USD SON
o US News and World Report recently published its 2015 ranking of Graduate Nursing Master’s Programs.
o The Report ranked USD SON as 30th best in the nation.
o This was the first year that the ranking considered quantitative empirical data as well as Deans’ overall qualitative perceptions of Nursing graduate programs.
USD SON moved up 19 slots from 49 to 30. • Quality of Faculty
o All tenure and full-time clinical faculty are doctorally prepared, as are many part-time adjunct faculty.
o Faculty have relevant and current clinical experience in relation to the courses they teach.
o The Faculty includes 5 Fellows in the American Academy of Nursing and 1 in the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners.
o The clinical faculty to student ratio consistently has remained at 1:10
or fewer students.
o We have developed a 4-hour adjunct clinical instructor orientation and offer a master clinical faculty to mentor new adjunct clinical faculty.
• Quality and Diversity of MEPN Applicants
o There has been no decrease in SON MEPN applications.
o In 2014-5, of 294 MEPN applicants, 120 were invited to USD for a two-day interview-orientation-reception.
Interviews included small and large group sessions with faculty, administrators, and the current MEPN students.
Almost all students had B+ or higher GPAs and straight “A” grades in Science pre-requisites.
The SON overall diversity and under-represented student population is 39% of its total population.
Drs. Bonnell and Urden received a large Song-Brown State of California grant to fund a special program that provides mentoring, support, and socialization of diverse students, many of whom are the first in their family to attend college.
• Quality of MEPN Program
o Data indicate that the 2013-15 MEPN cohort of 60 students has 0% attrition.
o Barring an unforeseen circumstance, all of these students will graduate on May 23, 2015, except for one who suffered an accident and will return in fall 2015 to complete the program.
o Between 2010 through 2014 we have admitted 232 students with a 5%
attrition rate.
o Students receive focused individual and small group attention, especially in the clinical seminars, problem-based-learning cases, clinical practica, and Simulation Center Practice and Assessments.
• The Beyster Institute for Nursing Research, Advanced Practice, and Simulation o A gold LEED, three-story, $18,000,000, 30,000 sq.ft. building annexed to
Hahn Main will more than double space for student learning, practice,
and socialization.
o The BINR entrance fronts Marian Way, with a first story dedicated to the Lizbeth Dickinson Smoyer Nursing Simulation Center, which is double the size of the current Simulation Lab.
o Its second story focuses on the education of advanced practice nurses, and the third floor houses the Center for Nursing Research.
o Each of the floors contain classrooms, innovative learning and study areas, faculty offices, conference rooms, and faculty and student research, lounging, and social areas.
o This Institute truly was designed to prepare the next generation of Clinical Nurse Leaders and nurse scientists, educators, executives, and advanced practitioners.
o BINR is scheduled for completion by August 15, 2015 and movers are scheduled for August 27, 2015.
• SON’s Role in Simulation
o USD SON was one of the first nursing schools in the country to operationalize simulation for its nursing students
Simulation Center faculty are doctorally prepared, and experts in simulation who lead interdisciplinary training with UCSD medical and pharmacy students, and frequently present at Simulation Conferences across the country regarding the clinical cases, computerized simulators, and 150 trained actors who participate in MEPN and NP students’ clinical practice and exams or
assessments.
o Although U S D S O N maintains the BRN mandated 25% or less simulation hours,we find simulation to be an excellent method to assess students, especially w i t h high risk skills such as medication and IV administration, glucometer use, or with i nter-professional communication.
• SON’s Clinical Partnerships, Contracts, and MOUs with Major Medical Centers and Health Care Agencies
o USD SON has Formal Clinical Partnerships with
Palomar Health, a new, one billion dollar, community-based health care system,
The Veterans Administration of San Diego, St. Joseph Hospital in Orange County, and
Cigna Health Care (MOU in final stage of completion).
USD SON also has a close relationship with Sharp Health Care as well as contracts and MOUs with 44 hospitals, clinics, and health care agencies throughout San Diego and surrounding areas.
o A plethora of San Diego sites are requesting USD SON to consider a
partnership.
We anticipate expanding to a community center for seniors
as well as providing students with a hospice experience.
o MEPN students also are placed in underserved community sites s u c h
a s Nativity Prep Academy, a private middle school for children living at or below the poverty level.
Monarch School for homeless children,
St. Madeleine's Sophie Center, which provides day care for
developmentally challenged adults,
Bayside Community Center for seniors from southeast Asia,
Hacienda Townhomes, a community center for families who have
transitioned out of homelessness,
o The attached tables illustrate the variety of placements that were successfully utilized with our 2013-15 Cohort of 60 MEPN students. o USD SON diligently arranges all clinical practica adhering to the strict
rules stipulated by the San Diego Consortium.
o USD SON has a 70% faculty person assigned solely to the placement and coordination of MEPN students.
o USD SON has not had difficulty assigning students for clinical placement; neither does it usurp the opportunity for other local schools to provide these experiences for their students.
o USD SON has particular concerns about the ability of on-line programs from other locals and states who utilize San Diego clinical facilities for training. We believe that San Diego schools should have first priority in assigning students to local health care agencies in our own city.
BOARD OF REGISTERED NURSING