Letter from the Dean: March 2018
Dear Friends,
There are lots of great things happening in the College of Nursing as we continue to meet our commitment to maximize student success, serve the public and lead regional transformation. As you peruse this edition of Pirate Nurse Notes, you’ll see the ways in which we’re doing our part to meet the goals set forth in ECU’s strategic plan.
Our online master’s program, ranked 34th nationally and 14th for veterans this year by U.S. World and News Report, is giving working nurses more ways to maximize their own success without leaving the workforce or relocating to our campus. We’re also thrilled to report that our pass rate on the national licensure exam continues to exceed state and national averages. Our BSN program’s recent pass rate was 96 percent, far surpassing the state and national rates of 83 percent and 87 percent, respectively.
While our future Pirate Nurses recently volunteered at Give Kids a Smile Day, providing health assessments to underserved children in our community, two of our faculty members – Dr. Donna Roberson and Dr. Jean Matthews – have been leading the way in public service on a global scale, serving on the board of directors for international health organizations. And we were proud to learn that our alumna, Terri Joyner – BSN 2005, MSN 2013 – was named the NC School Nurse Administrator of the Year.
Our Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program continues to transform the region with health care education for communities in eastern North Carolina, most recently in partnership with the NC Fisheries Association, providing information and guidance on health concerns that impact fishermen.
These are only a few of the great strides we’ve made in the last few months, but we’re looking forward to making many more – including several at our fifth-annual Pirate Nurse 5K in April! Thank you for taking the time to read and learn the latest about our college. Please follow us on social media for updates between these emails, and don’t forget to keep in touch!
Warmest regards,
Sylvia T. Brown, EdD, RN, CNE, ANEF
Dean and Professor, East Carolina University College of Nursing