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

Abstract #114598

Doris Glick, PhD, RN, MN, Pamela A. Kulbok, RN, DNSc, Bonnie Jerome-D'Emilia, PhD, MPH, RN, and Ivy Hinton, PhD. School of Nursing, University of Virginia, P.O. Box 800782, 4010 McLeod Hall, Charlottesville, VA 22908, 434 924 0105, dfg6x@Virginia.edu

There is an acute need for leaders in Public Health Nursing and Health Systems Management who are fully prepared to use data based evidence to address preventable health problems, to meet the needs of disadvantaged populations, and to propose innovative health care system solutions. Web based education capabilities make it possible to extend the geographic reach of university programs to offer masters education to working nurses and to those who are place-bound in rural and underserved areas who would otherwise lack access to master's education. This paper describes the evaluation of a HRSA grant funded project to expand a masters program for “Leadership in Community/Public Health Nursing and Health Systems Management”. The program aims to enhance graduate nursing preparation for leadership in public/private health care organizations to promote and protect the public's health and to help design systems to meet the health care needs of the public. The curriculum focuses on preparation of nursing leaders who have the skills and ability to use data driven decision making to facilitate the application of core functions of public health and collaborative public-private partnerships. Evaluation data about the program will be presented. These data will be used to demonstrate progress toward program goals and to illustrate the evidence base needed to adjust and enhance curriculum to assure optimal achievement of student outcomes and program goals. Selected evaluation criteria will be applied to examine obstacles and success of efforts to: increase enrollment and diversity of students, increase recruitment of students and practice sites in rural areas, expand curriculum to include core functions of public health, teach students to use data to drive decision making in nursing leadership, and, employ use of web based technology. Current students' evaluative comments about online graduate education have been extremely favorable. One student saw this program as the answer to her dilemma: “I thought I might have to make a choice between quitting my job and getting my master's.” Another student who was somewhat skeptical at the outset recently stated: “It has been difficult, very challenging. It's been wonderful—so intellectually stimulating.”

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to

• Describe components of an online master’s program that prepares public health nursing leaders and nursing health system managers to use data driven decision making to facilitate application of the core functions of public health.
• Describe components of an online master’s program that prepares public health nursing leaders and nursing health system managers to build collaborative relationships in various public-private partnerships.
• Discuss the elements of evaluation and the evidence base essential for achievement of student outcomes and program goals.

Keywords: Distance Learning, Evidence Based Practice

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.