Jonas Center for Nursing and Veterans Healthcare, Sigma Theta Tau International Partner on New Global Health Initiatives
Collaboration to produce educational programs aimed at developing nurse leadership and preparing future nurses for global healthcare needs
NEW YORK, May 28, 2014 – The Jonas Center for Nursing and Veterans Healthcare (Jonas Center) today announced a partnership with the preeminent nursing honor society, Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI), to co-fund doctoral nursing students and establish new educational tracks designed to develop nurse leadership skills and help nurse leaders prepare future nurses to meet the demands of the global healthcare system.
The joint effort expands the Jonas Nurse Leaders Scholar Program by supporting the development of far-reaching educational initiatives to improve nurse leadership, research and patient care in the United States and abroad. The two doctoral students selected will focus efforts on:
- The Global Nurse Executive Leadership Institute© will educate and empower nurse leaders to think and act with a global mindset, bringing a nursing perspective to international and multinational health endeavors. Nurse leaders in this institute will develop the competencies required to fill the highest roles in the nursing profession, thereby directly and indirectly improving the health of people worldwide.
- International Nursing Leadership Academies offer curricula for nurses that blend leadership theory and experienced-based objectives enabling them to assume leadership roles, initiate positive change in the global healthcare setting, provide knowledge and expertise to spur the growth of professional teams and improve patient care. A current focus is to identify and develop new opportunities within the leadership academy for additional specialty areas and advanced practice nurses.
Faced with global health issues such as a provider shortage, an aging population and the increased burden of chronic disease, this collaboration addresses the rapidly changing healthcare landscape, where nurses are a crucial part of the global workforce increasingly relied upon for delivering primary care in hospitals, clinics and community settings.
“Nurse leaders well-equipped to serve as agents of change in their communities and a deep pool of nurses trained to excel in diverse care settings are key to the future of healthcare delivery,” says Darlene Curley, MS, RN, executive director of the Jonas Center. “The partnership with STTI not only extends our mission across global borders, it also fosters nursing leadership development to raise excellence in the field worldwide and prepare future generations of nurses to meet these challenges head-on.”
Kevin Ousman, RN, BSN, MSN, manager of The Center for Global Nursing at Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, will assist in launching the Global Nurse Executive Leadership Institute while Daniel Ochylski, MS, DNP, RN, nurse entrepreneur and CEO of Independent Nursing Services Inc., will research, develop and launch a new leadership academy within the STTI International Leadership Institute. The Scholars were selected in a competitive application process by STTI. Ousman is slated to attend Nova Southeastern University for his PhD this fall, and Ochylski is currently pursuing a DNP at the University of Michigan.
“The chosen Scholars bring a worldview and innovative spirit to enhance the leadership and continuing education programs that STTI offers its global membership,” says Hester C. Klopper, PhD, MBA, RN, RM, FANSA, president of STTI. “The Jonas Center’s work to establish forward-thinking educational programs focused on nurturing a new breed of global nurse leaders furthers our commitment to improving healthcare through nursing leadership and scholarship.”
These initiatives build on the successful Jonas Nurse Leaders Scholars Program, launched in 2008 to address the shortage of nursing faculty by preparing nurses with doctoral degrees to step into this role, and the STTI International Leadership Institute, which focuses on developing nurse leaders through mentorship, continuing education and experience-based learning. Both programs are in alignment with a collective goal to improve healthcare worldwide through nurse leadership, scholarship and innovation.
Funding to support these initiatives has been provided by the Jonas Center and STTI from 2014 to 2016. The programs will launch in fall 2014.
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About the Jonas Center for Nursing and Veterans Healthcare
In 2006, Barbara and Donald Jonas established the Jonas Center for Nursing and Veterans Healthcare(formerly known as the Jonas Center for Nursing Excellence), the leading national philanthropic funder dedicated to improving healthcare by advancing nursing scholarship, leadership and innovation. Its two main programs are the Jonas Nurse Leaders Scholar Program, which aims to address the dire shortage of nursing faculty by preparing nurses with doctoral degrees to step into this critical role, and the Jonas Veterans Healthcare Program, which seeks to improve the health of veterans by supporting doctoral-level nursing candidates committed to advancing veterans’ healthcare. These programs currently support nearly 600 doctoral scholars nationwide, with a goal to support 1,000 Scholars by 2020.
About the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI)
Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is advancing world health and celebrating nursing excellence in scholarship, leadership, and service. Founded in 1922, STTI has more than 135,000 active members in more than 85 countries. Members include practicing nurses, instructors, researchers, policymakers, entrepreneurs and others. STTI’s 494 chapters are located at 675 institutions of higher education throughout Armenia, Australia, Botswana, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, England, Ghana, Hong Kong, Japan, Kenya, Malawi, Mexico, the Netherlands, Pakistan, Portugal, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Swaziland, Sweden, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, the United States, and Wales.