The gift from the Atlanta-based Woodruff Foundation, a private organization with a broad charter to support charitable, scientific and educational activities, is the MCG School of Nursing's largest from a private foundation.

"We thank the Woodruff Foundation for helping MCG progress advanced-nursing education in our region," said Dr. Lucy Marion, dean of the MCG School of Nursing and a leader in the national DNP movement. "We look forward to preparing a critical mass of doctorally prepared nurse clinicians through increased collaboration with other graduate schools of nursing throughout Georgia."

MCG's partner in the initiative, Emory University's Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, has been awarded $500,000 through the same grant. By offering distance training options, the partnership will allow Emory faculty to enroll in the doctorate of nursing practice program at MCG. In return, MCG faculty will attend Emory's postgraduate program for clinical educators.

"This partnership provides an example of how the public and private sector can work together to address the severe shortage of qualified nursing faculty and clinicians in Georgia," said Dr. Marla Salmon, dean and professor of the Emory School of Nursing. "We are excited about the opportunity to work with MCG in advancing the capacity of nurses to improve care and meet ever increasing needs for nursing services."

The doctorate of nursing practice focuses on clinical and management expertise necessary to improve outcomes in health care practice, leadership and education. The program encourages nurses to stay in health care practice and contribute to issues faced in the field.

"Before this program was developed, nursing was the only health profession without a pr
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Contact: Toni Baker
tbaker@mail.mcg.edu
706-721-4421
Medical College of Georgia
18-Nov-2005