PUHI — The Kauai Community College Nursing Department staff is elated with the recent announcement that U.S. News & World Report has ranked the University of Hawaii at Manoa Nursing among the nation’s best online graduate nursing programs. “You can
PUHI — The Kauai Community College Nursing Department staff is elated with the recent announcement that U.S. News & World Report has ranked the University of Hawaii at Manoa Nursing among the nation’s best online graduate nursing programs.
“You can be registered at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, but you’re still here working toward higher degrees in nursing,” said Maureen Tabura, Kauai Community College coordinator for the nursing program. “Currently, there are seven Kauai Community College students working towards their bachelor of science in nursing, four working toward their master’s degrees, and two who are working towards doctorates of nursing degrees. There are two Ph.D. degrees, but these are new programs so we don’t have anyone in them.”
According to the report, the UH Manoa Nursing placed 60th out of 149 ranked schools, an improvement from its 70th place in 2015, and the only nursing school in Hawaii to be ranked for online education. The report, the 2016 Best Online Graduate Nursing Programs ranking of master’s degree programs in nursing, assessed quality through student engagement, faculty credentials and training, peer reputation, student services and technology, and admissions selectivity.
UH Manoa nursing offers master’s and doctorate degrees in online distance learning formats. As student needs for flexible independent learning environments evolve, UH Manoa nursing has responded to offer the advanced public health nursing master’s degree, doctor of nursing practice degree, and the Ph.D. degree in online formats. Distance learning allows students to complete coursework online, conduct fieldwork in their local community, and gives students schedule flexibility by offering lectures asynchronously.
“These distance programs allow students on-island to pursue their educational goals without having to leave home,” said Colleen Kaiminauau, the interim director of the University Center and Academic Support at KCC. “The University Center is the resource center on-island for anyone interested in pursuing a degree via distance. We want our nursing students, as well as all of our other distance students, to feel like they have a support network here on Kauai. We are here to help them to succeed.”
Ryan DeMello is a second-year nursing student from Oahu who is scheduled to graduate at the end of the spring semester.
“I want to go further to a bachelor’s of science in nursing, a master’s degree, and even a doctoral degree,” DeMello said during a break in his class Wednesday at KCC.
Dean Mary Boland of the UH Manoa Nursing said a strong graduate nursing education is key to ensuring the delivery of quality health care in Hawaii.
This spring, KCC has 21 students enrolled in the first year nursing program, and 23 students enrolled in the second year program, said Cammie Matsumoto, KCC director of public relations.
“This is a healthy enrollment and indicates full enrollment into the program,” she said. “There are many who are interested in entering nursing, but they must fulfill the requirements to be eligible for acceptance.”
Matsumoto said there are 10 new registered nurse positions on Kauai each year.
Tabura said KCC looks for students who are driven, have an investment in learning, and want to care for patients safely by using critical thinking and clinical reasoning.
“The strength of Kauai Community College’s nursing program is that it is a great way into a professional career,” said Kurt Rutter, a KCC nursing instructor. “It literally elevates a graduate into a higher economic level.”
Boland said the focus of UH Manoa Nursing on advanced practice and education offers RNs on all islands access to the lifelong learning needed for success in fast-paced, high-technology care environments.
“By maximizing the use of online distance teaching, doctoral nursing students can take specialty courses that could not be offered at UH, but which may be relevant to the student’s interest area,” Boland said. “At the same time, students at a member university can enroll in courses offered at UH as long as we have space available in the course. This greater access will enable our students to more easily meet degree requirements, improve on-time graduation rates, and keep our future nurse leaders in Hawaii.”
