Caldwell Offering Fully Online Master’s in Nursing in Population Health

Caldwell, N.J., April 26, 2019– Caldwell University’s School of Nursing and Public Health is offering a new fully online Master of Science in Nursing program in Population Health for fall 2019, the first of its kind in New Jersey.

“We are delighted to be able to offer this 36-credit innovative population health program,” said Dr. Donna Naturale, RN, APN-BC, CDE, assistant professor and coordinator of the program. “It will prepare nurses to meet the demands of health care today and tomorrow by promoting healthier communities and addressing needs associated with the social determinants of health, commonly attributed to the zip codes in which we live and work.” The social determinants of health include factors such as access to health care, finances and income, transportation, housing, social support, and level of education.

Graduates of the program will be prepared to serve as leaders in nursing and health care. They will be qualified to work in a number of positions within a variety of health care systems in positions that include care coordinator, project, case and nurse managers in outpatient facilities, hospitals, public health departments, and within insurance and quality improvement fields. Upon graduation, they will also be qualified to teach in undergraduate nursing programs.  Students will integrate technology utilizing healthcare data to identify trends and issues associated with the overall health of populations.

They will also learn to provide high-quality nursing care, promote health, and prevent diseases that may be linked to the social determinants of health.

The MSN in Population Health was planned and developed in response to the Institute of Medicine report “Primary Care and Public Health: Exploring Integration to Improve Population Health.”

It addresses needs which are identified in the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation “Future of Nursing 2020-2030” report. “The academic program will aim to prepare nurses to identify health disparities and works towards reducing those disparities which are influenced by social determinants of health working towards improving overall health and well-being for populations as we plan to care for the next generation,” Naturale says.

The program ties in with the mission of Caldwell University, a Catholic Dominican institution. “As the Catholic Health Association states, there is a ‘moral imperative for making a commitment to the people of our community and that our focus on social determinants of health is not only because it is necessary but also because it is just,’” explains Naturale.

For information on the program, contact the Caldwell University Admissions Office at 973-618-3500 or admissions@caldwell.edu or go to https://www.caldwell.edu/graduate/academic-department/graduate-programs-in-nursing/master-of-science-in-nursing-in-population-health .

Prospective students can apply to the program at www.caldwell.edu/applynow.