January 11, 2011
Georgetown University is launching a new online master's program in nursing, allowing students to earn a graduate level degree from the comfort of their own home.
The online program, offered by School of Nursing & Health Studies, part of Georgetown University Medical Center, extends the nationally ranked on-campus graduate nursing program to students outside of the Washington D.C. area, a press release reported.
The new program will feature lectures taught by Georgetown faculty using streaming video, animation and various other web-based technologies. Interactive online class sessions with faculty and classmates--including small group discussions--will be an integral part of the program. In addition, students will be able to complete the graduate program at home, but have the option of visiting the campus to take advantage of its facilities and patient base.
"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," Julia DeLoia, interim dean of the school of nursing, told the Washington Business Journal.
All candidates must meet the same rigorous admissions standards as those of Georgetown's on-campus programs, Georgetown University News noted. Upon successful completion of the coursework, students will receive a master of science degree in nursing. The first nursing master's degree offered online will be Family Nurse Practitioner this spring. Other graduate specialties will be added online in the future.
Health care experts say the online program reflects the demands of an evolving industry.
"With health care reform, we anticipate that the health care workforce will need to change," said Howard J. Federoff, executive vice president for health sciences at Georgetown University Medical Center. "One expectation is that well-educated registered nurses will be increasingly deployed in a variety of clinical settings."
Other officials are expressing concern that the needs of the health care industry are not being adequately met. Some believe that the introduction of a top online program is a step in the right direction, creating new cohorts of trained professionals.
"The health system in the United States is at a crossroads," said Jeanne Matthews, who chairs 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."
Compiled by Alexander Gong
Sources:
"Georgetown puts master's nursing degree online," bizjournals.com, January 11, 2011, Jeff Clabaugh
"Georgetown University to Launch Dynamic Nursing Degree Program Online," prnewswire.com, January 11, 2011
"New Online Graduate Nursing Program to Launch at Georgetown," georgetown.edu, January 11, 2011
