The University of Michigan-Flint (UM-Flint) recently announced that Margaret M. Andrews has been appointed the founding dean of the School of Nursing. Andrews joined UM-Flint as a professor in 2006 and has served as interim dean of the School of Nursing since its creation in November 2016. She previously served as director of the UM-Flint Department of Nursing for 10 years.
Andrews tells News.UMFlint.edu, “It’s an honor and privilege to be the founding dean of the School of Nursing. I thank President Schlissel, the Regents, Chancellor Borrego, Provost Knerr, and the School of Nursing faculty and staff for their confidence in me.”
Andrews has announced that her primary goal for the School of Nursing is to establish a renewed commitment to research, which will be integral to the school’s 2018-2023 strategic plan. The School of Nursing faculty have invited top leaders in research as visiting professors to consult with nursing students and faculty on the school’s research agenda.
Andrews received her bachelor of science in nursing degree from St. John College in 1972, her master of science in nursing degree from Case Western Reserve University in 1974, and her PhD from the University of Utah in 1985.
To learn more about Margaret M. Andrews’ appointment as founding dean of the UM-Flint School of Nursing, visit here.
Over the next two years, 30 nurse practitioner students will be selected to take part in the grant and receive specialized education on how to care for rural populations. The financial support provided by the grant will allow these students to complete clinical placements in rural areas of Michigan and increase the pipeline of health care providers for these populations.[et_bloom_inline optin_id=optin_39]
Margaret Andrews, Interim Dean of the School of Nursing, tells News.UMFlint.edu, “Nurse practitioners serving rural communities provide many preventative services, detect and treat illnesses, increase life expectancy of rural residents, and improve the overall health and quality of life for rural communities. UM-Flint is pleased to partner with existing physicians and nurse practitioner practices in Michigan’s rural areas to educate and train the next generation of nurse practitioners to serve the needs of rural communities in Michigan.”
To learn more about UM-Flint’s Advanced Nursing Education Workforce grant and efforts to increase the number of nurse practitioners trained to serve in rural areas, visit here.
DNAP is a three-year program, designed to allow students to continue in their current nursing jobs for the first year. This program will prepare doctorate level nurse anesthetists to become excellent clinical practitioners and prepare students to embrace broader roles within health care.
Dr. Donna Fry, Dean of the School of Health Professions and Studies, tells News.UMFlint.edu:
“Advancing the nurse anesthetist program from the master’s to doctoral level will provide more educational time with students, ensuring they are well educated in contemporary anesthesia practice.”
The current anesthesia program at UM-Flint is an educational leader and innovator in the field. It became the first fully accredited clinical doctorate nurse anesthesia completion program in the state of Michigan in 2011, and awarded the state’s first Doctor of Anesthesia Practice (DrAP) degree in 2013.
The Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice degree is for professionals who are already certified registered nurse anesthetists but who want to advance their skillsets and prepare for expanded leadership roles and teaching roles. Students also have the option to earn their degree in conjunction with a Master of Business Administration for those interested in health care administration roles. Program curriculum includes a range of healthcare education and training in health policy, teaching, research, and finance.
UM-Flint will be accepting 20 to 25 new students to join the program every academic year. To learn more about the new Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice degree program, visit here.
Effective as of Nov. 1, the School of Nursing will become the fifth school at the University of Michigan-Flint (UM-Flint). The nursing program was originally part of the School of Health Professions and Studies but after a three-year vetting process will now stand alone as its own school.
As one of the fastest growing occupations in the nation and in the midst of a nationwide nursing shortage, UM-Flint recognized the opportunity to create a School of Nursing and took advantage. UM-Flint’s nursing program is well known for its hands-on approach, and the creation of the School of Nursing will bring on a full range of new programs and resources for their students.
The Department of Nursing at UM-Flint has a 45-year history of educating over 3,000 nurses and nurse practitioners. There are currently over 1500 students enrolled in pre-nursing or nursing bachelors, masters, and doctoral degree programs. More than 19% of students at the university study nursing or pre-nursing.
Director and Professor of Nursing at UM-Flint, Margaret Andrews, is pleased by the development of the School of Nursing and believes it will help better serve the surrounding community. The onset of the new School of Nursing will include new programs and partnerships with over 700 community organizations, providing a direct impact on the health of the local community. This progress will elevate the nursing program, making it more attractive by expanding the opportunities available to studies and faculty.
Transitioning into the School of Nursing is expected to enable the nursing programs to keep pace with the rapid changes in healthcare education and technology, create new nursing specialty programs, and achieve greater overall success through the launching of new programs to attract well-qualified and diverse and students and faculty.
