Professor William McCool, PhD, CNM, and lecturer Mamie Guidera, MSN, CNM, spent a week teaching, precepting Haitian midwifery students, and providing direct midwifery care in Hinche, Haiti in partnership with Midwives for Haiti.
quality care, it is crucial to have diverse faculty conducting research, educating future nurse leaders and shaping practice to improve the health of the nation and the world,” says Nancy C. Tkacs, Nu’75, GNu’77, GNC’05, GNu’06, PhD, RN,
associate professor of Nursing and assistant dean for Diversity and Cultural Affairs. Penn Nursing Dean Afaf I. Meleis, PhD, DrPS (hon), FAAN, FRCN, has encouraged an engaged faculty atmosphere which has resulted in the development of a very successful faculty mentorship program, used as a model by the University for faculty across campus. “The faculty mentorship program was instituted several years ago in recognition of the fact that recruitment of junior faculty is most effective if they are entering an environment where they feel personally supported by one or more senior faculty,” explains Dr. Tkacs. The program pairs new faculty (either newly hired assistant professors, or more senior faculty who come to Penn from other institutions), with at least one faculty mentor. Mentorship meetings can occur informally or formally, although there is one annual mentor meeting that occurs formally and includes the department chair.
“An important reason for the success of our mentorship program also lies in the breadth of support it offers faculty,” explains Patricia D’Antonio, GRN’92, PhD, RN, FAAN, the KillebrewCensits Endowed Term Chair in Undergraduate Education, and Chair of the Department of Family and Community Health. “Rather than rely on a traditional mechanism of a single relationship between mentor and faculty, our program provides a team of mentors for all the different roles in research, teaching and service that faculty hold. It also supports interprofessional initiatives by looking to mentors both within and outside the School of Nursing.” Penn Nursing students particularly appreciate the strong engagement and commitment of the School’s faculty. “We have true content experts teaching with authenticity and integrity, and the students always comment on the value this adds to their Penn Nursing education,” says Dr. Tkacs. “The strong engagement, clinical expertise and integrity of numerous people at Penn Nursing helps to reduce the cultural divide between the Penn campus and the surrounding community in ways that grow mutual respect and admiration.” www.nursing.upenn.edu
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