NJ Nursing Scholars Convene at Annual Meeting

Classes had started at their respective schools, but the first-ever group of Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) New Jersey Nursing Scholars had never met face-to-face until now—the first New Jersey Nursing Initiative (NJNI) Annual Meeting in October. The two-day meeting was an introduction to RWJF and the NJNI, and an opportunity to learn more about what would be expected of them as Scholars and nurse educators.

 

“Your job is so critically important… You’re going to touch the entire health care system—New Jersey and beyond,” RWJF senior advisor for nursing Susan Hassmiller, Ph.D., R.N., F.A.A.N., told them the first morning. “You are answering the call to ensure that New Jersey has the well prepared and diverse nurse faculty it needs… We want New Jersey to be the go-to place for nursing and nursing education.”

 

NJNI is a five-year, multi-million dollar project of RWJF and the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce Foundation, which is transforming nursing education in the state and ensuring that it has the well prepared, diverse nursing faculty needed in the future. A major goal is to increase the number of nurse faculty in the state, so there will be enough nurses to meet the needs of state residents. 

 

One component is the Faculty Preparation Program, which is providing full scholarships and $50,000 per year stipends to full-time masters’ and doctoral students who plan to become nurse faculty in New Jersey. In addition to scholarships and stipends, a financial incentive program will encourage the scholars to take faculty positions at New Jersey nursing programs. The 29 Scholars who attended the Annual Meeting are the first cohort. The Faculty Preparation Program has awarded $13.5M in grants to New Jersey based nursing programs and education collaboratives, each run by a project director.

 

The meeting provided opportunities for the Scholars to network with one another, project directors, RWJF program officers and others. Scholars took the opportunity to discuss their shared excitement and anxiety, and acquire valuable advice from mentors and experienced teachers.

 

During a breakout session, Bob Atkins, Ph.D., R.N., an assistant professor in the College of Nursing at Rutgers and an RWJF Nurse Faculty Scholar, gave the Scholars advice on how to maximize their experience. Gwen Sherwood, Ph.D., R.N., F.A.A.N., professor and associate dean for academic affairs at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Nursing, also shared her wisdom, discussing team dynamics and challenging the Scholars to evaluate how their beliefs, knowledge and experiences affect the way they view their upcoming journeys.

 

The Scholars will participate in a series of webinars, online discussions and face-to-face meetings as part of a Collaborative Learning Community (CLC) that will provide important lessons and information that will help them pursue their careers as nurse educators. [See NJNI Newsletter story: “Building a Collaborative Learning Community: Q & A with Diane Billings” in this issue for more information.]

 

Diane M. Billings, Ed.D., R.N., F.A.A.N., chancellor’s professor emeritus of nursing at Indiana University School of Nursing, Indianapolis, and facilitator of the CLC, led the scholars in a discussion about the role of the nurse educator. A panel of educators provided insights into what to expect in the classroom and in the academy as faculty members. They explained that nurse faculty are more than just teachers; they are researchers and mentors, and they give back to the community when they continue to practice as nurses.

 

Patricia Benner, Ph.D., R.N., F.A.A.N., visiting professor at the University of Pennsylvania and professor emerita from University of California, San Francisco, gave the second day keynote speech, “Celebrating our Successes – Facing Our Challenges.” She drew on the results of the Carnegie Preparation for Professions Program study, the first national nursing education study in 30 years, to share best practices for compelling and effective teaching. Benner served as senior scholar on the Carnegie study research team.

 

The “Innovations in Nursing Education” session featured a panel of veteran nursing faculty, who discussed innovations and expanded on their respective topics in breakout sessions afterwards. Pamela Jeffries, D.N.S., R.N., F.A.A.N., A.N.E.F., associate dean of academic affairs at Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, talked about the use of simulations as practice, a teaching method and an assessment tool. University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey at Newark School of Nursing professor David Anthony (Tony) Forrester, Ph.D., R.N., A.N.E.F., discussed ways the Scholars can enhance their students’ classroom experiences, as well as their own as educators. Diane Skiba, Ph.D., F.A.A.N., F.A.C.M.I., demonstrated how technology is being used in nursing education, from basic online courses to innovative, elaborate virtual reality classrooms.

 

“We are in an extraordinary place and time of aligning forces for transformative change,” said NJNI Director Susan Bakewell-Sachs, Ph.D., R.N., P.N.P.-B.C., who is the Carol Kuser Loser dean and professor of nursing at The College of New Jersey in Ewing. “We have the support of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. We have the engagement of the business community. We have faculty preparation scholars and program faculty committed to the future of nursing education, and a context of national expectation for improved health and health care.”

 

To learn more about the New Jersey Nursing Scholars, visit www.njni.org/nurse-scholars.