A new class of nurses, gerontologists, and healthcare leaders arrived on campus this week as the University of Utah College of Nursing opened its doors for the fall semester, welcoming students to its Bachelor's, Master's, Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), and PhD programs.
The new semester arrives alongside an expansion of the college's DNP offerings. The new DNP emphases include an Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP) Track and a dual Acute Care/Primary Care PNP Track, along with a new Acute Care PNP Post-Graduate Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) Certificate. The new emphases will prepare graduates to deliver compassionate, evidence-based, family-centered, and culturally responsive care to infants, children, and adolescents experiencing acute, complex, critical, and chronic health conditions. The additions expand the college's portfolio to 11 distinct DNP specialty emphases and strengthen its leadership as the only institution in Utah and nearby states that prepares nurse practitioners to care for children across acute, intensive, emergency, and specialty care settings.
"This work matters because children in acute care settings deserve providers with training built specifically around their needs," said Candace-Rae Davis, DNP, APRN, ACCNS-P, CPNP-PC/AC, emphasis director for the Pediatric Acute Care track. "These new emphases give nurses across Utah and the surrounding region a way to gain that specialized expertise close to home, so more children have access to the high-level, compassionate care they deserve."
At orientation last Friday, Dean Marla De Jong, PhD, RN, CCNS, FAAN, spoke to the newest cohort of DNP students about the nature of learning at the college.
"Our faculty bring deep expertise and years, often decades, of experience in clinical practice, leadership, policy, and education," said De Jong. "You will learn from them, certainly. But our faculty will also learn from your experiences and perspectives, and you will learn from one another. As students at an R1 university with an academic health center, you have access to extraordinary opportunities for experiential learning, and professional growth so I encourage you to take full advantage of the many opportunities available to you, including beyond what’s required. However learning unfolds for you, my goal is that you graduate prepared to deliver safe, high-quality, evidence-based, and patient-centered care, and to lead wherever your career takes you."
With new students settled in and new programs underway, the College of Nursing continues advancing its mission to prepare the next generation of nursing and gerontology healthcare leaders.