Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #114306

Shirley E. Van Zandt, MS, MPH, PhD(c)¹, Joan Kub, PhD, RN, CS¹, Sara L. Groves, DrPH RN, and Jackie Agnew, PhD³. (1) School of Nursing, Johns Hopkins University, 525 N. Wolfe Street, #443, Baltimore, MD 21205, 410-614-5297, svanzand@son.jhmi.edu, (2) Environmental Health, Johns Hopkins University, 615 North Wolfe, Baltimore, MD 21205

A new option within the MSN/MPH program at the Johns Hopkins Schools of Nursing and Bloomberg School of Public Health was initiated in the summer of 2004. This new option offers masters level students the opportunity to become nurse practitioners with a focus in public health nursing. This program option builds on the strong experience of the School of Nursing in educating public health nurses and nurse practitioners as well as the joint MSN/MPH program in Public Health Nursing which has been offered for more than ten years. This paper will describe the MSN-NP/MPH curriculum which reflects the goal of preparing students to have the skills to provide direct care to individuals as well as population aggregates. These are complementary roles which are critical in promoting the health of vulnerable populations. The curriculum is a unique blend of nurse practitioner courses, public health nursing courses, and public health courses. The paper will also discuss the philosophy guiding the program as well as the process of establishing this new option within our curriculum. Success in its development is largely due to the cooperation of both schools and the desire to prepare nurses to meet global health needs. The first year challenges and successes of this new program will be reviewed.

Learning Objectives: At the completion of this session, the participant will be able to

• Describe this unique MSN/MPH program leading to the joint role of nurse practitioner and advanced practice public health nurse
• Discuss the educational goals and curriculum of this new MSN/MPH option
• Describe the successes and challenges of this program's first year

Keywords: Nurse Practitioners, Public Health Nursing

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.