Master's Education is Focus of NLN Reflection & Dialogue

Timely Recommendations on Preparing Nurses to Deliver Advanced Practice Nursing in Reformed Health Care System Emerge from Inclusive Forum Hosted by League

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

New York, NY — June 29, 2010 — Concerns about proposed changes to masters and doctoral education in nursing — in particular the call to generalist practice at the masters level and the doctorate as the only avenue to advanced practice — have been growing. In response, an April invitational gathering comprising representatives from across the entire nursing community — public and private schools of nursing, nursing organizations, advanced practice nurses, and practice environments — considered ways to promote existing masters programs that clearly meet pressing needs such as nurse administrators and nurse educators while embracing new advanced practice educational preparations. The NLNs core values of caring, integrity, diversity, and excellence provided a foundation to understand divergent thinking and allowed the nursing community to come together and address vital issues.

"We discussed a number of key issues and questions: models of nursing education; the roles of masters prepared nurses; ways to increase diversity; and how to best collaborate with all stakeholders to fully embrace the advanced practice nursing role," said NLN president Cathleen Shultz, PhD, RN, CNE, FAAN. The resulting entry in the NLNs Reflection & Dialogue series, "Masters Education in Nursing," delineates recommendations for nursing education to prepare nurses for specialty roles so that they can successfully deliver advanced practice nursing care. Taking into account the diverse voices of conference participants, the suggestions range from promoting MSN advanced specialty practice to meet regional health care needs to promoting the development of accessible and affordable academic progression models that will best serve the public and the nursing profession.

Added Dr. Beverly Malone, NLN CEO, "With health care reform a reality, there is a special urgency in our discussions. As noted in this latest Reflection & Dialogue, Time and focus are critical….Nursing must not be distracted from its core mission of providing safe, quality patient care and of stepping forward when the nation, through its legislative structure, has identified nurses as primary providers of care services. "

"Masters Education in Nursing" concludes with a series of questions designed to encourage reflection about this issue and invites others to join in the dialogue via the NLN website at www.nln.org/aboutnln/reflection_dialogue/refl_dial_6.htm.

The entire series, available at www.nln.org/aboutnln, reflects the input of members of the NLNs Board of Governors and past presidents and offers an opportunity for reflection and dialogue with the nursing education community on important issues.

Reporters/Editors: For more information and interview opportunities please contact NLN chief communications officer Karen R. Klestzick at 212-812-0376, kklestzick@nln.org.

Dedicated to excellence in nursing, the National League for Nursing is the premier organization for nurse faculty and leaders in nursing education. The NLN offers faculty development, networking opportunities, testing services, nursing research grants, and public policy initiatives to its 31,000 individual and 1,200 institutional members who represent all types of nursing education programs.