The National League for Nursing redesignated the IU School of Nursing as a Center of Excellence last week, recognizing the program’s dedication to practicing the best methods of teaching students and making scientific advances through research.
IU is one of only 47 institutions in the nation to receive this honor.
This designation gives recognition to the IU School of Nursing for having top practices in educating students in the field.
In an Aug. 23 press release, Robin Newhouse, dean of the nursing school, said the award goes back to the educators.
“It validates the excellence of our educational programs that empowers leaders.”
The National League of Nursing offers several different categories of distinction to be a Center of Excellence.
This is the third time the IU School of Nursing, which includes the Bloomington and Indianapolis campuses, has received a designation for creating environments that promote the teaching expertise of the faculty and is the second time the IU School of Nursing has received a designation for advancing the science of nursing education through research. These two designations extend through 2022 and 2021 respectively.
Each of these designations by the National League for Nursing lasts for five years before being reevaluated. IU’s first-ever Center of Excellence designation took place in 2007.
The IU School of Nursing will be recognized for these two designations at the National League for Nursing’s Education Summit, which takes place Sept. 14 to 16 in San Diego. The criteria for the designation consists of “outstanding innovations, commitment and sustainability of excellence," according to the press release.
“What the designations mean is that our organization supports faculty in developing teaching expertise," said Deanna Reising, associate professor of nursing at the University.
Reising said the faculty is being encouraged to develop and test techniques oriented toward both a classroom and clinical setting, so students can learn in both atmospheres.
IU has reworked curricula for degree programs to change with health care needs, engaged in global affairs and health policy and collaborated with and improved faculty through initiatives such as an undergraduate honors research program.
Reising said the IU School of Nursing gives faculty support through development, time and freedom to research techniques.
“We are very fortunate to be supported, as it takes time and energy to convert traditional lecture teaching to these more advanced teaching strategies,” Reising said.
According to the press release, Susan Hendricks, associate dean for undergraduate programs at the IU School of Nursing, said the criteria for this award are exactly what the school of nursing demonstrates.
Reising said it was not just one person who made this award possible.
“Every single member of our faculty contributed to this designation as we are all working our hardest to improve how students learn the field of nursing,” Reising said.
Rebecca Ellis
