TOMORROW’S NURSING LEADERS

The Doctor of Nursing Practice degree program at Chaminade offers four specialty tracks

Jacqueline Bassett is a nurse at in the oncology ward at Straub Medical Center, but her long-term goal is to relocate to Hawai‘i Island to serve communities in so-called “healthcare deserts”— places where residents have no easy access to medical professionals.

She is among the newest Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) students at Chaminade, and in September 2024, she attended an “immersion” program on campus aimed at introducing new DNP cohort members to the degree and kicking their new academic journey off right.

Students learned about scholarly writing, what’s expected of them as DNP candidates, and perhaps most importantly, they got an opportunity to form connections with one another and their professors as they seek the highest clinical degree in nursing.

DNP students at Chaminade can choose from one of four academic tracks: Family Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, PostMaster’s Executive Leader, and the newest track: Pediatric Nurse Practitioner. All of them are designed to prepare students as changemakers and leaders amid an ongoing shortage of nurses both locally and nationally.

Bassett selected the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner track in hopes of meeting an acute need in the specialty, especially on the neighbor islands.

“They desperately need mental health care workers there,” Bassett said.

“My parents own a homecare facility on the Big Island, and they see firsthand the need for—not just physical health care, but mental health care as well.”

The two-day immersion agenda included a special welcome address from Chaminade President Lynn Babington, who congratulated students for advancing their education to better serve others. “Chaminade is proud to play an important role in educating our future leaders in healthcare and expert clinicians,” Babington told the nine cohort members.

Three recent Silversword nursing graduates—Ashley Jardine ’24, Lisa Kawamura ’24 and Daniel Gardner ’24— are also in the newest DNP cohort. They said they’re motivated to address the shortage of healthcare providers in Hawai‘i, and excited about building leadership skills to help prepare the next generation of forward-looking nurses.

“I always wanted to be in healthcare,” said Gardner, who is a nurse at Kalihi Elementary. “My dad was a Green Beret medic and helped a lot of people, which is what I want to do.”

The immersion program was led by School of Nursing Associate Dean and

DNP Director Pam Smith, with the help of faculty members Linda Malone, Sandra Bourgette-Henry, Dana Monday and Marife Aczon-Armstrong. In addition to a crash course on the program, the agenda included discussions about goals, motivation and cultural sensitivity.

Maryann Kaiwi Salvador, FNP-BC ’23, got a chance to present her capstone project, telling students that she focused her research on chronic kidney disease. She said it’s critical to find an area of interest that drives you to contribute—and keeps you interested.

“When you think about the development of your DNP project, ask yourself: What what is your passion?” Salvador told the attendees. “There will be bumps on the road and setbacks, but persevere and be ready to switch gears. Remember that your professors, your instructors, your clinical advisors and your mentors all believe in you. So believe in yourself.”

Designed for registered nurses or advanced practice nurses, Chaminade’s DNP program emphasizes clinical expertise, leadership and translating research into practice, making DNPs wellsuited to address the needs of Hawai‘i’s communities, program leaders said.

During her presentation, Salvador told students she will be joining Molokai Community Health Center next week and is excited about serving patients who need her help. “So when you think about your DNP project, think of where it might lead you,” she said.

“This DNP program will help you enhance your leadership skills,” Salvador added.

“You’ll get all the encouragement and support you will need from faculty and advisors to continue furthering your education. Congratulations on choosing to pursue your DNP.”