News & Events
New Bachelor’s Degree Program in Nursing Aims
to Boost Underserved Communities’ Healthcare Access
“The more knowledge you have, the better you can take care of your patients,” says Elizabeth Sewell, a 42-year-old resident of Crown Heights, in response to why she has enrolled in the new bachelor of science (BS) degree program at New York City College of Technology (City Tech.
Sewell, who had been a college administrator for 15 years before deciding on a career in nursing, is one of approximately 50 students who will make up the program’s first bachelor’s degree class. Enrollment is now underway for the spring 2006 semester. For more information about the program, please call 718.254.8670.
The new program represents several years of work by the entire nursing faculty. According to Professor Kathryn Richardson, chair of the department, “Having long recognized the need for a new baccalaureate nursing program in Brooklyn, we were determined to create something distinctive, something that would address the needs of the community.” The program that was finally approved reflected the diligent efforts of Professors Maryanne Greene and Catherine McManus, the chair and co-chair, respectively, of the committee that developed the new curriculum.
City Tech’s new nursing curriculum “will provide associate-degree and diploma-prepared registered professional nurses with the skills necessary to become leaders in community-based nursing that focuses on care in an urban setting,” says Dr. Roberta Cavendish, the program’s coordinator.
Students enrolled in the program will learn to deal with urban health issues -- homelessness, the uninsured, the elderly, children in shelters, HIV/AIDS care, the rise in tuberculosis, chronic conditions (hypertension and diabetes), stress, and the possible effects of bioterrorism.
According to Victor Ayala, dean of City Tech’s School of Professional Studies, the new nursing program goes far beyond helping to address the critical shortage of nurses in the metropolitan New York area.
“Access to healthcare has been a problem for many groups, including blacks, latinos, the elderly, the uninsured and recent immigrants who lack English proficiency,” he says. “The community-based component of our program will bring care to underserved communities, taking into account their particular health and social issues.
“Our graduates -- who will come from these very communities and thus understand the culture of the people needing services -- will help empower patients by providing access to care and information about prevention.”
In addition, City Tech’s new bachelor’s program in nursing will strengthen students’ communication strategies and critical thinking abilities. It will focus on case management, nursing research, leadership, and on proactive responses to issues that impact nursing and healthcare. Upon graduation, students will have the foundation for both graduate studies and advanced practice nursing roles.
To accommodate the busy schedules of nurses working in the field, courses will be offered just one day per week -- Wednesdays -- with students able to take a full load of four classes (12 credits) or attend part-time by taking fewer classes.
“We wanted to design a program that really catered to our students,” Dr. Cavendish says. “Our research indicated that Wednesday was the easiest day of the week for nurses who work 12-hour shifts to have off in order to attend classes, because it’s when hospitals and other healthcare institutions have the best staffing.”
Another unique aspect of City Tech’s nursing bachelor’s degree program is that the curriculum will address the holistic care of individuals across the life-span and touch on the role of spirituality in the healing process and on end-of-life issues.
“My interest in the connection between spirituality and nursing has very personal roots,” Dr. Cavendish says. “Nurses didn’t know how to talk to me when my mother died. The only hospital employee who reached out to me in a caring way was the cleaning lady. Nurses need to help patients and their families face their fears and connect to what they believe in -- whether it’s prayer, meditation or something else -- a process that requires a special kind of listening.”
Dr. Cavendish has received several PSC-CUNY grants to study how nurses can meet the spiritual needs of their patients. Recognized internationally for her work in this area, she has had articles published in several professional nursing publications and is now applying for an NIH grant to continue the research.
Most recently, Dr. Cavendish worked at the College of Staten Island for 11 years, where she developed the College’s master’s degree program in adult health nursing. Before that, she was a tenured professor at Wagner College, also in Staten Island, for 15 years, teaching across the nursing curriculums. She received her BS in nursing from St. John’s, her MS in nursing from Wagner and her PhD from Adelphi. She is the mother of four sons and is happily expecting her eighth grandchild.
In addition to accepting City Tech students who have received an associate’s degree in nursing from the College, the program will welcome students with associate degrees from other institutions as well. The College began offering the associate’s degree in nursing in 1961.
“The rapid expansion of information technology and the advanced computer resources at City Tech will facilitate the faculty’s ability to offer part of the curriculum in a hybrid format,” she explained. “This means that a number of the classes will have some sessions online and some here at the College, decreasing the amount of time students will be required actually to be on campus.”
1/10/06
