The Future of Nursing and Healthcare From Missouri State University Head of Nursing
By Jill Randolph
March 11, 2011
The following is an interview transcript with Dr. Kathryn Hope, Head of the Department of Nursing of Missouri State University. Missouri State was founded in 1905 with an initial goal of training teachers for public schools. It is the second largest university in Missouri, covering more than 220 acres in central Springfield. The university also has a branch campus in West Plains and a research campus in Mountain Grove. In addition to more than 150 undergraduate majors and 47 graduate programs the school offers the state's largest internship program to encourage employers to hire its graduates.
Jill Randolph: Which subjects should high school students focus on, in order to have the best odds of getting into a program like yours, and how soon should they start working on that plan?
Dr. Kathryn Hope: When students come to our office during their sophomore and junior years, we are able to guide them on which dual credit courses to take. A lot of students come with 20 to 50 hours of dual credit.
It is important that those hours count, because if they take a biology course that does not relate to the prerequisites of the university, it was a waste of the students' time and money. Math is also critical and in fact, their first grade in math is one of the biggest predictors we have for success in our program.
Students need to realize once they begin taking college courses, the GPA clock starts ticking. If they are not interested or do not have the time to do well in a particular class or program, but think it sounds like a good idea, they need to consider that their GPA is going to be there forever. That GPA can affect whether or not they get into our program.
It is also important for students to get involved in opportunities such as Medical Explorers or to shadow someone they know to see if they can envision themselves in that career. I recommend that students go online and look at curricula to see if nursing courses interest them.
A common issue that students have is they want to go into nursing and focus on pediatrics, but they do not want to take all of the other courses. Others come in wanting to pursue nursing, but they do not like math and science. Every nurse graduates as a generalist. The courses are mandated, and they have to pass the same boards.
Jill Randolph: Which personality traits and characteristics make a great nurse?
Dr. Kathryn Hope: Compassion for other people. They also need to be intelligent and have good critical thinking skills with the ability to set priorities.
Jill Randolph: What can student nurses do to stand out against the competition?
Dr. Kathryn Hope: Getting involved in community service and leadership activities that show employers their desire to be involved, engaged, and go above and beyond. Employers look for evidence of those traits in potential employees.
Jill Randolph: How has the job market for nursing has changed over the past year? Have you seen signs of improvement, and if so, in any specific areas?
Dr. Kathryn Hope: The job market is tighter than it was last year for nurses and new graduates. Hospitals are more selective in hiring, but there are still areas of growth. For example, nurse practitioners and nurse educators are experiencing increased demand.
Jill Randolph: There are some hospitals talking about requiring nurses to have PhDs. Have you heard of this possibility?
Dr. Kathryn Hope: Yes, it is a trend across the United States. By 2015, nurse practitioners will be required to have doctorate of nursing practice. They will need either a DNP or PhD.
Jill Randolph: What are the most important things students can do to prepare for future employment given that hospitals are being more selective?
Dr. Kathryn Hope: Coming from a credible program that has a good first time pass rate on the NCLEX-RN exam is important. Nursing students also need a professional resume and to have completed related internships. Many of our students have completed internships, and they get hired because of those experiences.
Jill Randolph: For healthcare professions, are internships similar to any other area of study or are they more specialized experiences?
Dr. Kathryn Hope: About 75 to 80 percent of our students intern in a hospital or community agency. It is a separate course with its own objectives and the students are matched with a preceptor. It is an opportunity for them to bring the theory together with the practice, focus on their weaker areas, and improve their skills and knowledge.
Jill Randolph: What advice do you give students regarding social networking?
Dr. Kathryn Hope: We want students on Facebook because a lot of employers look at Facebook to assess their level of professionalism, but students need to realize that they are being evaluated based on their posts and pictures.
If an employer goes online and sees a picture of someone drunk at a party, it sends a negative message. There is also literature showing that patients are going online to see if they can find their nurse or physician. This adds another element that students need to consider.
Jill Randolph: Have you seen an upswing in the number of non-traditional students as people are either forced to go back to school for re-education or change careers?
Dr. Kathryn Hope: Definitely. We have a fair number of students with masters in social work, recreation, and computer technology coming back for nursing degrees.
Jill Randolph: Do you think that a student with a master's in computer technology would have an edge in nursing, since a lot of hospitals and practices are going to online databases and there is talk of a national online database?
Dr. Kathryn Hope: It makes those students unique and fills a niche. Any additional knowledge is significant because everyone is a compilation of his or her experiences.
For example, most schools of nursing have large simulation labs with technology, and hospitals are seeking that combination of nursing and technology.
Jill Randolph: Does having a master's degree in another field shorten the duration to obtain a NP or PA certification?
Dr. Kathryn Hope: It may not. For example, we require a healthcare technology class. If they have a systems networking technology class, it will not transfer to our requirement. We are regulated by many different organizations on the content of nursing courses, and we have to meet those objectives.
Jill Randolph: Do you have any certificate programs to help a student with a different degree such as business to test the waters and start as an LPN?
Dr. Kathryn Hope: We do not have anything such as an LPN or two year degree. Those could be obtained in a community college. We are a comprehensive university, so we offer baccalaureate and higher-level degrees only.
Jill Randolph: Are there specific experiential opportunities that are required so that students gain invaluable hands-on experience in nursing?
Dr. Kathryn Hope: Students spend a large percentage of time in the community working with vulnerable and at-risk populations. They develop an understanding of the need to be a professional citizen and gain confidence working in multiple environments.
They also acquire an appreciation of a patient's resources and home environment. For example, if a patient does not have transportation or help and they need to go to the pharmacy or have their dressing changed, that challenge needs to be addressed. Our students have a different perspective. They understand that the patient is a member of a family and a community.
Jill Randolph: It seems the trend is shifting toward prevention rather than end of life care or premature end of life medicines. Is prevention being taught to nursing students?
Dr. Kathryn Hope: It is a requirement of our credited programs, but it is also integrated throughout the entire curriculum. Every single course touches on health promotion and health prevention.
These subjects are important. In the past, health insurance did not pay for health prevention, promotion, and education. That is changing so that patients who participate in health promotion and prevention will realize incentives in the form of decreased health insurance. Nurses play an important role in providing education to the community on how to be healthier.
Jill Randolph: Are there any initiatives in the schools to educate younger people on health prevention rather than waiting until they are an adult and may already have health problems?
Dr. Kathryn Hope: It is not the educator's responsibility to teach children to balance their checkbook or to eat a nutritious balanced meal, but if children are not learning these things at home, then it has to come from somewhere.
There is a great opportunity in the United States for universities to work with the community and provide some of this expertise and knowledge that the younger generation is not getting.
The nursing programs here work with over 125 community agencies. We partner with schools to educate students on how to choose a healthy meal, exercise, and brush their teeth.
With a nursing degree, students can go into many different and rewarding directions.
