Villanova University M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing Receives $2.5 Million Gift from Bedford Falls Fund

Villanova University’s M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing has received a $2.5 million commitment from the Bedford Falls Fund to expand its Second Degree Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree track. This gift will allow the Fitzpatrick College of Nursing to increase access to the program through scholarship support to incoming students, creating new pathways for those who already have a college degree to embark on a nursing career. Philanthropists William E. Conway Jr., co-founder and co-chairman of The Carlyle Group, and his wife, Joanne, have given millions to support nursing education and scholarships to address the nation’s nursing workforce shortage. 

MSNO: Ready to Build Community Connections with Students of Color

Born from the desire of four sophomore nursing students to create meaningful academic and social connection for themselves, the Multicultural Student Nurses Organization (MSNO) was launched in March, the newest student organization in the Fitzpatrick College of Nursing (FCN). The founders - Naomi Tegene, Dominica Villegas, Salina Berhane and Caprice Beato-Lembert - brought their dream to fruition since the idea germinated last year as a study group. The students soon realized that through their shared experiences and backgrounds they could help more underrepresented students in the FCN. Building community was a guiding star in the development of their new organization- a sentiment which all four echo. 

Dr. Melissa O’Connor Co-investigator on NIH R01-funded Transitional Care Study of Sepsis Survivors Transitioning Home

Associate Professor Melissa O'Connor, PhD, MBA, RN, FGSA, FAAN, of Villanova University’s M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing (FCN), has been funded as a co-investigator on an R01 from the National Institute of Health’s National Institute for Nursing Research for a five-year implementation science study “I-Transfer” (Improving transitions and outcomes of sepsis survivors). The study team will, in real-time, examine the effect of the skilled home health care (HHC) intervention provided to patients recovering from sepsis in their community setting. This new implementation science testing a care model is expected to extend the survival of vulnerable patients following life-threatening illness.

Federal Funding to Improve Health Care Professional Education on Persons with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Suzanne C. Smeltzer, EdD, RN, ANEF, FAAN, The Richard and Marianne Kreider Endowed Professor in Nursing for Vulnerable Populations at the Villanova University M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing, has received funding from the Administration for Community Living, a federal agency overseen by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for a project consisting of five academic collaborators for Partnering to Transform Health Outcomes with Persons with Intellectual Disabilities and Developmental Disabilities (ID/DD). The goals of this 5-year, $1,750,000 project, are to develop, disseminate and evaluate high-impact inclusive curricular materials and standardized practice experiences for integration through interprofessional education and practice programs at the collaborating institutions.