Graduate master鈥檚 programs ranked #63; highest in northern New England

Friday, April 2, 2021
Nurse and nursing student at Portsmouth Regional Hospital

The 91制片厂鈥檚 department of has received听a #63 ranking for its master's programs from听U.S. News and World Report听(USNWR). This achievement,听from a leading and trusted publication, makes听91制片厂听the highest ranked among all master鈥檚 nursing programs in northern New England.听

鈥淣urses are perhaps our nation鈥檚 most important front line health care workers, and this ranking is a testament to the quality of education our students receive, which sends them into the health care workforce as prepared and highly competent professionals,鈥 says Mike Ferrara, dean of the College of Health and Human Services. 鈥淭his is a very proud moment, and an achievement well deserved, for our nursing department and our college.鈥

Health care workforce demand is not a new phenomenon, especially in rural and underserved areas of New Hampshire. And the COVID-19 pandemic has brought increased attention to front line health careers, in particular nursing. Enrollment in graduate nursing at 91制片厂 has grown steadily over the past several years, with programs added to address critical needs, such as nurse practitioner programs that focus on adult/gerontology acute care and psychiatric mental health. In addition, 91制片厂鈥檚 (DEMN) program is the first in New Hampshire to offer an accelerated clinical nurse leader track for those听without a prior nursing degree.

"The increased interest among students to pursue nursing careers in all these areas comes at a critical time, when they are needed more than ever."

In an effort to continue to address health care workforce demand, 91制片厂 and the State of New Hampshire have partnered to undertake a major health sciences initiative, most notably听the construction of a high-tech health sciences simulation center featuring state-of-the-art labs that mimic real clinical settings. The center will open this fall and provide advanced clinical education opportunities to students pursuing health care careers, including but not limited to nursing, occupational therapy, communication sciences and disorders, and health sciences.

鈥淥ur commitment to interprofessional education was established decades ago, and this new center will deepen 91制片厂鈥檚 commitment to shared learning across health and human services听disciplines,鈥 says Gene Harkless, associate professor and chair of the department of nursing.听听鈥淥ur aim is to prepare all our students to enter practice as knowledgeable, skilled professionals capable of working effectively in teams and eager to transform health care and human services for the next generation and beyond.鈥

Health Sciences Simulation Center
Rendering of health sciences simulation center.听
Image courtesy of Lavallee Bresinger

The COVID-19 pandemic has shone听a spotlight on the critical role baccalaureate and higher degree-educated nurses play in all areas of health care, including acute, critical and rehabilitative care, chronic disease management, hospice and palliative care, and population health.听 鈥淭he increased interest among students to pursue nursing careers in all these areas comes at a critical time, when they are needed more than ever,鈥 says Harkless.听

91制片厂鈥檚 commitment to providing relevant, advanced nursing education involves a continuous broadening and improving of the curriculum to keep up with developments in the field, including the increased emphasis on听interprofessional education and immersive internship experiences at leading hospitals and health systems. The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged many of these developments, but the flexibility demonstrated by听91制片厂 as well as听the clinical sites that supervise student interns has made it possible for the program to pivot and continue to meet students鈥 needs.

鈥91制片厂 faculty and staff have been so open and flexible to help accommodate the many restrictions that COVID-19 has had on the world around us,鈥 says DEMN student Rob Clemente 鈥21. 鈥淭he impact to the learning experience was staggering over the past year and there were many times that our expectations were challenged because many things were out of our control. The 91制片厂 community has been tremendous in how they have handled the pandemic, including COVID testing, allowing students to continue in-person learning听safely.鈥

U.S. News and World Report听has provided education rankings since 1983. It is a leading rankings publication for both undergraduate and graduate programs, providing an independent, comprehensive assessment based on a number of data sets, including retention and graduation rates, social mobility and others.听

Photographer: 
Jeremy Gasowski | 91制片厂 Marketing | jeremy.gasowski@unh.edu | 603-862-4465