NLN Announces New Centers of Excellence
Presentation Made During 2010 Education Summit
Las Vegas, NV — October 1, 2010 — In a special presentation as part of its annual four-day Education Summit, the National League for Nursing this morning announced that six schools of nursing have been selected to receive the organizations prestigious Center of ExcellenceTM (COE) designation. The presentation took place on Friday, October 1 at 9:00 am, following the CEO Summit Address at 8:30 am.
Two programs — Community College of Philadelphia, Department of Nursing and the Department of Nursing at the University of South Dakota in Vermillion, SD — earned their third consecutive designation for creating environments that enhance student learning and professional development. This unusual honor entitles them the right to carry the COE banner through 2015. (COE designations are typically for three years.) St. Xavier University School of Nursing in Chicago has been designated for a second consecutive three-year term for creating environments that enhance student leaning and professional development.
Villanova University College of Nursing in Villanova, PA has also received its third designation, however, it is the schools first in the category of creating environments that enhance the science of nursing education. (Villanovas previous two COE designations, in 2004 and 2007, were for creating environments that enhance student learning and professional development.)
Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing in Baltimore and CUNY-Hunter College/Bellevue School of Nursing in New York City were first-time designees this year, both for creating environments that enhance student learning and professional development.
Each year since 2004, the NLN has invited nursing schools to apply based on their ability to demonstrate sustained excellence in faculty development, nursing education research, or student learning and professional development. Schools must also have a proven commitment to continuous quality improvement.
"These are large programs, small programs, and everything in between. Their common denominator is excellence in their particular area, and although they set the bar high for faculty and students in all schools of nursing, it is worth striving to join their ranks," said Dr. Beverly Malone, CEO of the NLN.
Also, as in years past, the winner of the Student Excellence Paper Competition was announced. Amelia Wodzinski from Duquesne University School of Nursing in Pittsburgh, PA won for her submission, "Reshaping Nursing through Excellence in Education."
Each year, students enrolled in COE schools have an opportunity to share their thoughts on the meaning of excellence in nursing education, what fosters excellence, and what it means to them to be part of a COE-designated nursing program. "Although not yet an RN, Amelia clearly already understands the virtue of striving for excellence, and we anticipate that her graduation from nursing school and entry into practice will reflect those high standards she holds dear," said NLN president Dr. Cathleen Shultz.
In keeping with the NLN mission to advance excellence in nursing education, throughout the three years that schools carry the COE designation, they are expected to be available to other schools seeking to move their own programs toward the COE distinction. "Through the Centers of Excellence designation, nursings most exciting programs are made known to the entire academic community, thus inspiring everyone to strive for excellence," Dr. Shultz concluded.
Editors and reporters: For interview opportunities during the week of the Education Summit, please contact Jane Calem Rosen, communications consultant to the NLN at 201-906-7339 or email janeruth@aol.com. Following this week, please contact Karen R. Klestzick, chief communications officer of the NLN, at 212-812-0376 or 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 offering faculty development, networking opportunities, testing services, nursing research grants, and public policy initiatives to its 32,000 individual and 1,200 institutional members.