College of Nursing Celebrates Nurses Week and Simulation Centers

Did you know the College of Nursing boasts more than 14,000 nursing students and over 25,000 nursing alumni? "We have students in all 50 states and across the globe in our online programs and we offer nursing programs at 18 locations in 11 states," says Pamela Fuller, Ed.D., RN, Dean of the College of Nursing.

University of Phoenix uses this far-reaching presence to honor those who work tirelessly each day to tend to the health of strangers. We also use this opportunity to provide innovative, top-quality nursing programs to help nurses elevate their expertise while perpetuating the noble vocation of nursing.

Observing National Nurses Week

While National Nurses Week runs from May 6th through the 12th, the University already has plans in the works to honor its nursing students, alumni and faculty, as well as nurses in the community at large. The College of Nursing will send an appreciation email to its students, alumni and faculty thanking them for all they do in their communities. We will also send direct mail to potential students with a message of gratitude along with an invitation to consider the University's nursing programs.

Many campuses recognize nursing students this week with flowers, chocolate, lunches, massages and more. CELs also reach out to their local medical facilities to thank nurses in their communities with cookies and notes of appreciation.

"Nurses Week is about the recognition of people who have made a choice to dedicate their lives to taking care of others," explains Tammy Fernandez, Campus Director in Denver. "Some nurses have been so happy to receive our thanks that they have broken down in tears."

Nursing Simulation Centers

As part of its commitment to providing cutting-edge, top-tier education for nurses, the University launched state-of-the-art Nursing Simulations Centers last year in Phoenix; Honolulu; Modesto, California; and Lone Tree, Colorado. The labs, designed for students in the LPN/LVN to BSN program, give students hands-on direct patient care experience in a simulated clinical environment. The students are immersed in a scenario and must evaluate the medical condition of a manikin—or lifelike, robotic patient—and begin treatment. The sessions are videotaped. The instructors then debrief with the students to analyze what worked and what they learned from the practice session. This immersion in the learning environment allows the student to take the practice learned in the lab into the live clinical setting.

"Learning can be so much deeper because students can go back and review their work with their instructor and fellow students in the debriefing session." says Charlotte Saylors, VP Product Marketing. "A select group of faculty, coined 'the brain trust,' have worked on a common set of scenarios which are shared across campuses and are replicable, this is what is innovative."

The Modesto and Lone Tree labs currently are being expanded to the same size as the 4,500-square-foot Phoenix facility, with grand opening celebrations slated for late in the year.

Learn More

The University offers nursing and healthcare administration programs through its College of Nursing and College of Natural Sciences. Read Dean Pamela Fuller's and Dean Hinrich Eylers' messages to find out how the University is responding to the demands of education on the growing nursing and healthcare industries.

Enrollment Advisor Shares Story

For many prospective students, the entire University of Phoenix experience—from enrollment to graduation—is a mystery. And some people aren't sure how to get started on the path to earning their degrees at the University. The newest Day in the Life video, featuring Enrollment Advisor Shila, lifts the curtain to show prospective students what to expect when they make that first step.

When Shila showed up for the unrelated I Am a Phoenix casting event last year, she caught the marketing department's eye. Later, when the team decided to create a Day in the Life video that shows the student experience from the enrollment advisor's perspective, they contacted Shila.

"Shila represents a smart, articulate person in a warm and exciting environment," says Ariana Hellebuyck, Director, Brand Marketing. "She is the kind of person I would want to help me through the enrollment process."

The new video was designed to illustrate the student-advisor relationship and better prepare students for the enrollment process. It shows them that the voice on the other end belongs to a real person who is committed to the success of students and wants to help see them through as they embark on their degree programs.

The latest video is just one in a series that brings the student experience to life. Look for the faculty video coming this summer.

Reinventing Career Resources for Students

University of Phoenix's commitment to its students isn't limited to the classroom. Through a partnership with CareerBuilder, the University is presenting the Reinvent Your Future 2010 Career Event Series, a 16-city series of job fairs, keynote sessions and engaging career-focused workshops throughout the day. The Reinvent Your Future 2010 Tour is a unique opportunity to explore the possibilities ahead and get face-to-face time with hiring managers some of the area's top employers.

Reinvent Your Future 2010 is all about transformation. In addition to meeting local hiring managers, attendees will have the opportunity to hear keynote and best-selling author Stedman Graham speak on the subject of identity and leadership development. Graham will guide attendees through his Nine-Step Success Process to help you understand who you are and how to make the most of your strengths, talents and skills. Attendees will also have the option to attend a series of workshops focused on interview skills, personal presentation, résumé writing and online trends in job seeking.

To learn more about Reinvent Your Future 2010 logon to reinvent2010.com.

Responsible Borrowing Gives Students a Successful Start

We're committed to making education accessible to our students—and doing so in a way that won't be a detriment to their future. Part of that effort is the responsible borrowing initiative the University launched last summer. This helps ensure that we are providing a clear understanding of the financial process for our students as they embark on their educational journey. It also arms them with information so they can make informed decisions about borrowing only what they need to minimize their debt upon graduation.

We trained our finance and enrollment advisors to walk prospective students through the costs of their programs and their loan eligibility. Now, we are working on even more tools to provide students with a snapshot of the entire cost of their education. This enhancement is due for release later this year. It will help our students understand the implications of enrolling in—and paying for their education on the front end so that they fully understand their financial responsibilities as a student loan borrower.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the total amount borrowed by students and received by schools during the 2008-09 academic year increased by 25 percent over the prior year. The University has taken steps over the last two quarters to encourage students to borrow only what is necessary. In addition, before we implemented our responsible borrowing initiatives last year, nearly 94 percent of our students initially opted to borrow the maximum amount available to them through their loans. Today, fewer than 60 percent of students borrow the maximum. Thus, more than 40 percent of our students initially elect to borrow less than the maximum loan amount.

These statistics tell us that we are making a positive impact on the financial health of our students. I am proud of our efforts to lessen the burden of loans on our students to help give them the advantage they deserve after they earn their degrees.

I am grateful to our advisors for the excellent work they do to help our students borrow only what they need to pay for school—and take charge of their financial future.