Villanova Nursing Announces Program Name Updates

The Villanova University M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing (FCN) announces new name changes for two of its highly regarded brands.

Effective immediately, the Continuing Education in Nursing and Health Care Program, which was established in 1979, is now known as the Health Care Professional Development Program (HCPD), in keeping with current terms and reflecting the interprofessional nature of its full scope of programming. Led by professional development expert Evelyn Lengetti, PhD, RN, NPD-BC, Associate Dean of Continuing Education and Assistant Professor, it remains accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation (ANCC).

It is the mission of HCPD to provide innovative education experiences that inspire self-discovery, promote individual professional advancement and elevate organizational performance. HCPD’s portfolio  includes standalone courses that award contact hours to individuals as well as certificate courses, plus custom programming for organizations around the country such as its Nurse Manager Certificate program.

Established in 2011, FCN’s MacDonald Center for Obesity Prevention and Education is now known as the MacDonald Center for Nutrition Education and Research (MCNER), emblematic of its broad scope of audiences and content stemming from its roots in science and equity.

“Our new name reflects our core values and aspirations, the evolution of our mission and goals, and the transformative work we are committed to achieving. We are eager to embark on this new chapter in our Center’s history," explains Director Rebecca Shenkman, MPH, RDN, LDN.

The Center is a provider of Continuing Professional Education (CPE) with the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR). It promotes lifelong learning and serves clinical and public health providers by delivering evidence-based professional development and conducting interdisciplinary applied research that optimizes provider ability to promote nutritional health and well-being, thus improving patient care and community health outcomes.

Shenkman and team will continue to provide mentorship opportunities for students, interns and junior researchers, while also embracing interprofessional research collaboration by partnering with those with complementary goals in and outside of the Fitzpatrick College of Nursing and Villanova University. Additionally at FCN, they will foster excellence in nutrition-related sustainable practices in education, research and teaching. From the regional to the international levels, MCNER will be a resource for interdisciplinary and translational nutrition research that seeks to change practice standards to help individuals lead healthier lives, as well as be a trustworthy source of nutrition education by partnering with stakeholders in health care, academia, business and community health.