Georgetown University to Launch Dynamic Nursing Degree Program Online

School of Nursing & Health Studies to Offer Graduate-Level Nursing Specialties Online

WASHINGTON, Jan. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Georgetown University School of Nursing & Health Studies, a part of Georgetown University Medical Center, today announced its creation of an online graduate nursing program.

Graduates of the online program will receive a Georgetown University master's degree that includes the same academically rigorous, values-based curriculum as the on-campus educational programs.  Students will complete the didactic portion of the program online and will have the opportunity to complete the clinical portion in or close to their home community.

The program, "Nursing@Georgetown: Master's in Nursing Delivered Online," features Web 2.0 technology that creates a highly interactive learning environment online.  Georgetown has entered into an agreement with 2tor, a provider of online educational technology services, to provide services in support of the program and online delivery of Georgetown's curriculum.  

The online program builds upon Georgetown's nationally ranked on-campus graduate nursing program.  Both programs are designed to prepare high-achieving BSN-prepared registered nurses to become leaders in specialized areas of advanced practice nursing.  In addition to this dynamic new learning option, Georgetown will continue offering its longstanding campus-based programs.

"Georgetown's academic rigor and values-based approach prepare nurse leaders to be critical thinkers and compassionate practitioners," said Julie DeLoia, Ph.D., interim dean of the School of Nursing & Health Studies.  "Our new online initiative will allow us to extend our mission and magnify our impact on health and health care across the nation, particularly in rural and underserved areas."  

The online program will feature:

• Georgetown's values-based curriculum
• Lectures taught by Georgetown faculty using streaming video, animation, and various other Web-based technologies
• Interactive online class sessions—including small group discussions—with faculty and classmates
• The ability to complete the graduate program, including the didactic and clinical portions, in the students' home communities
• Visits to Georgetown's campus to utilize patient simulation technology
• A comprehensive student advising system to help students navigate all elements of the program—from matriculation through commencement
• A lifelong connection to Georgetown University's global alumni network

"The Georgetown University Medical Center has engaged in this new initiative to combine the academic standards of our traditional education programs with today's innovative technology to address the nation's need to prepare outstanding advanced practice nurses," said Howard J. Federoff, MD, Ph.D., executive vice president for health sciences at Georgetown University Medical Center and executive dean of its School of Medicine.  "With health care reform, we anticipate that the health care workforce will need to change.  One expectation is that well-educated advanced practice nurses will be increasingly deployed in a variety of clinical settings."

"The health system in the United States is at a crossroads," added Jeanne Matthews, Ph.D., RN, interim chair of the Department of Nursing.  "By preparing advanced practice nurses to be leaders in practice, education, research, and policy across the country, we can improve health outcomes for the nation.  This innovative online initiative holds the promise to do that, building upon the excellence of our on-campus programs."

The school will launch the online graduate Family Nurse Practitioner program in spring 2011. Other graduate specialties will follow in the online format.

All candidates must meet the same rigorous admissions standards as those of Georgetown's on-campus programs.  Upon successful completion of the coursework, students will receive a master of science degree in nursing from Georgetown University.  For more information, visit online.nursing.georgetown.edu or call (877) 910-4692.

About Georgetown University School of Nursing & Health Studies

Founded in 1903, Georgetown University School of Nursing & Health Studies—a part of Georgetown University Medical Center—translates science into outcomes that benefit the public's health. NHS lives its mission through innovative educational and research programs. The school houses a multi-million dollar research portfolio and includes the Departments of Health Systems Administration, Human Science, International Health, and Nursing, as well as the Center on Health and Education and—in partnership with Georgetown University Law Center—the Linda and Timothy O'Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law.  Visit nhs.georgetown.edu.

About Georgetown University Medical Center

Georgetown University Medical Center is an internationally recognized academic medical center with a three-part mission of research, teaching and patient care (through MedStar Health). GUMC's mission is carried out with a strong emphasis on public service and a dedication to the Catholic, Jesuit principle of cura personalis -- or "care of the whole person." The Medical Center includes the School of Medicine and the School of Nursing and Health Studies, both nationally ranked, the world-renowned Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Biomedical Graduate Research Organization (BGRO). In fiscal year 2009-2010, GUMC accounted for 79 percent of Georgetown University's extramural research funding.

SOURCE Georgetown University Medical Center