Barry University Prepares Nurses of the Future

Barry University in Miami Shores has a 60-year tradition of producing compassionate, dedicated, skilled, and ethical nurses. From the Bachelor of Science in Nursing to the Doctor of Nursing Practice, Barry’s Division of Nursing provides an exciting educational experience for women and men interested in shaping the health care system of the new century. More than 90 percent of Barry’s nursing graduates are working in the health care industry. They are equipped with the academic knowledge, clinical competencies, and interpersonal skills necessary for a successful career. The Division offers a variety of educational options for prospective and practicing nurses at every stage of the profession.

 

At the undergraduate level, Barry offers a pre-nursing program that prepares freshmen and transfer students with the prerequisite courses needed to enter the traditional BSN program. An accelerated BSN is also available for students with a non-nursing bachelor’s degree or higher. Upon successful completion of all nursing requirements, students are eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN). Barry graduates boast an excellent passing rate.

 

Registered nurses with an associate degree or a state-approved diploma may apply for Barry’s 15-month RN-to-BSN program. In this program, classes are offered in the afternoon and evening to accommodate work schedules.

 

The Master of Science in Nursing has specializations in nursing executive leadership, nurse educator, family nurse practitioner, and geriatric-adult acute care nurse practitioner. There is also an RN-to-MSN Bridge Program for registered nurses with a non-nursing bachelor’s degree. The RN-to-MSN Program may require additional undergraduate courses in research and health assessment, but upon successful completion, students can make a smooth transition into the master’s program.

 

Registered nurses can also advance as certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) with the Master of Science in Anesthesiology, through Barry’s College of Health Sciences.

 

At the doctoral level, Barry also offers the interdisciplinary PhD in Nursing, the Post-Baccalaureate Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), and the Post-Master’s DNP with specializations in nurse administrator and nurse practitioner. The DNP translates research into bedside practice and promotes leadership. As such, DNP nurses can pursue bedside research, and teach undergraduate, graduate, and DNP courses.

 

The DNP is also offered with a specialization in anesthesiology. The program prepares CRNAs to acquire the clinical, organizational, financial, and leadership knowledge to design and implement programs of care delivery that significantly impact health care outcomes.

 

Barry University’s senior nursing students participated in the Nursing Study Abroad Program’s trip to Jamaica this March. They met with Jamaica’s minister of health and discussed health policies and the group’s experiences with Jamaica’s public health system.

 

The students not only compared and contrasted the health care systems of the United States and Jamaica; they had the opportunity to work directly in the community with local nurses. The senior nursing students made home visits and worked in the clinics. Students found Jamaica to have an excellent primary care system; however, student nurses felt more education, empowerment, and evaluation must be strategically implemented in order to meet the needs of the people.

 

Barry University’s Division of Nursing is accepting applications for its nursing summer camp June 10-14 at the Miami Shores main campus. The free, weeklong program is geared toward high school students in Miami-Dade health sciences magnet schools.

 

During the summer camp, students will participate in hands-on training sessions and explore the fields of nursing, cardiovascular perfusion, anesthesiology, occupational therapy, and the biomedical sciences.

 

To apply, students must currently be enrolled in high school and must submit a one-page essay describing their interest in the health care field. The deadline is May 15, 2013. For more information, e-mail nursing instructor Lauren Schwal at lschwal@barry.edu.