Dr. Stephanie Richardson, PhD, RN, FAHSE, and Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions’ Nursing Department Chair earned her Ph.D. in Nursing from the University of Utah and later earned tenure as a professor in the College of Nursing there before coming to RMUoHP.
When extended the position at RMU, Dr. Richardson said that she was, “attracted by the core values of clinical inquiry and student-centeredness” that RMUoHP exemplifies. When asked what her favorite aspect of working at Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions is, Dr. Richardson stated, “This is the most evidence-driven place I have ever experienced: everything is assessed, and all data is used. When it is clear that something needs to improve, people don’t dawdle. I also like that people work in teams that take advantage of each individuals’ strengths.”
Dr. Richardson truly enjoys the quality of the faculty and staff in the Nursing Department, as they have made her job a true pleasure. Along with working with such amazing faculty, Richardson also stated, “we have an unusually high number of Fellows in the American Academy of Nursing and the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners; all core faculty have active scholarly projects – some more than one – and all are excellent practitioners and educators.”
Along with being built upon clinical inquiry, student-centeredness, knowledgeable and high-quality faculty, the Nursing Department offers an exceptional education. Dr. Richardson stated, “Students tell us that the quality of their education is exceptional, and I attribute that to the faculty. Of course, students appreciate that they can stay in their home state for their clinical experiences. However, those in blended programs also tell me that the week they spend on campus in Utah each semester is critical (their word, not mine!) to staying in the program and achieving excellence. It appears we have found the right mix of class size, great online technology, and an on-campus intensive experience – plus superb teaching – that helps us stand out.”
With all of the various program tracks within the Nursing Department at RMUoHP, there is always collaborative thinking, future planning, and improvement happening. Recently, a new certificate program was introduced into the Nursing Department, a Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Certificate Program. Richardson stated, “Like our Family Nurse Practitioner Certificate program, the PMHNP certificate program is meant for nurses with their Master’s or DNP degree who are APRNs (Advanced Practice Registered Nurse) who would like to add the Psychiatric/Mental Health license and would like to add this skill set to their practice. This certificate is 24 credits spread over four semesters and includes 540 clinical hours. This program is entirely online.
When looking into prospective students, the Nursing Department looks for prior academic success, a history of follow-through, an understanding or the degree or certificate they are seeking, and a plan to be able to adjust their current commitments so that they will learn what they need to do to graduate on time. The department also encourages the student to continue with their current employment, community involvement, and service obligations, but like to hear how they plan to flex them when schoolwork becomes intense. When asked what advice she would give to someone looking to a graduate nursing program, Richardson stated, “I would say two things: First, if you are applying to one of our two DNP degree programs, make sure you can state in your own words how the DNP degree and the PhD degree differ. The DNP is the terminal practice degree – the highest degree you can get that focuses on nursing practice. The PhD degree is all about research; the discovery of new knowledge, and is only about patient care in an indirect way. Second, for applicants to any of our nursing programs, what a wonderful opportunity graduate school is for you – and for your family, loved ones, and often, employers! I advise you to gather these people around you and have a very frank talk about how they will be involved. You already know you will need time to read and write and study, so you won’t be able to fulfill all your roles in quite the same way, so I find it best if they are given the opportunity to step up, fill in, or adjust/do without. You’ll probably find they are happy to help once you actually name things that will change. Some students who are parents tell me that their children were an important and very helpful part of these discussions. These talks should happen before you begin the program.”
Overall, the main goals that the Nursing faculty members hope their students take away following graduation are perfectly summed up by Dr. Richardson. Richardson stated, “I have two goals for our graduates. Our alumni tell me that they are beautifully prepared to apply evidence-based change to clinical practice. That is the goal and the point; to prepare outstanding practitioners who can lead in implementing best practices in patient care. Our alumni are authors, managers, and state and regional- level leaders in nursing. My second goal is closer to home; I also want students to know that the faculty and their student peers are life-long professional colleagues, ready to assist and collaborate. Some of us have ongoing projects with former students; several faculty are RMUoHP alumni, and we meet with graduates as an alumni group annually at the national meeting of Nurse Practitioners. That’s plenty of evidence that we are meeting both goals.”
“Students tell us that the quality of their education is exceptional, and I attribute that to the faculty. Of course, students appreciate that they can stay in their home state for their clinical experiences. However, they also tell me that the week they spend on campus in Utah each semester is critical (their word, not mine!) to staying in the program and achieving excellence. It appears we have found the right mix of class size, great online technology, and an on-campus intensive experience – plus superb teaching – that helps us stand out.”
