Master of Nursing in Population Health Receives Accreditation, Equips Grads to Work with High-Risk, Vulnerable Patients
The Master of Nursing in Population Health has received accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education Board of Commissioners.
The fully online program is the first of its kind in New Jersey, equipping graduates to work in a wide variety of health care systems with patients in high-risk, vulnerable populations. Nursing faculty members are pleased with word of the accreditation and the work students and recent graduates are doing to improve the health of vulnerable populations in the tristate area. This work is particularly evident in the final-outcomes-assessment Capstone projects, the culmination of the students’ Caldwell learning journey in which they develop strategies to address a problem in a high-risk, vulnerable population. The work of graduates has focused on addressing a multitude of health care issues across the lifespan. Students work in a variety of nursing specialties including case management, school nursing, maternal child health and adult health nursing and information technology.
Cristina Lu ’23 worked as a graduate assistant with Caldwell professors while studying for her master’s. She worked side by side with outstanding educators and said she was grateful to acquire valuable teaching skills and contribute to the education of students. This semester she is working as a clinical instructor in psychiatric mental health nursing under the direction of nursing faculty member Catherine Monetti, Ph.D., and she recently started in a position as a population heath registered nurse with the Somerset County Office of the Aging and Disability Services.
Marchell Boyd ’21/MSN ’22 is a health equity nurse manager for the corporate office of diversity and inclusion and director of diversity, equity and inclusion at RWJUH Rahway Hospital. Studying in the MSN program helped her with her work. “I’m able to provide my clinical and population health skills into DEI work at the local hospital and corporate level,” said Boyd, who also holds a BSN from Caldwell.
Lu appreciated how Caldwell nursing professors worked hard to develop close, nurturing relationships with students, even within the virtual aspect of the courses. “Despite the online format, students have the opportunity to interact closely with professors who are not only academically rigorous but also compassionate and supportive.” Boyd said that the small program size provides “the benefits of connecting with your peers and teachers” and that any challenges could be resolved quickly.
For her Capstone project, Lu investigated the inclusion of cognitive-behavioral therapy in the multitiered system of supports for school-based mental health services. She used qualitative methods including conducting a focus group with counseling specialization students at Caldwell University and employing latent content analysis, an interpretive study technique. Her aim was to contribute to the understanding of enabling factors and barriers in this area.
Caldwell’s MSN program has inspired her to want to continue to educate the next generation of nurses for the changing health care landscape. “By sharing my expertise and guiding aspiring nurses, I am driven to make a significant impact on improving health care outcomes and enhancing patient well-being.” 🟥
