Press Release
Date: 07-01-08Name: Lynn McFarlane Phone: 973-972-8539
Email: mcfarlld@umdnj.edu
UMDNJ Doctor of Nursing Practice Program Graduates its First Class
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NEWARK—A hospital president, hospital nurse executives, nursing faculty members, and nurse practitioners are among the 21 nurses making state history as the first to graduate from a new doctoral program at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.
UMDNJ-School of Nursing was the first New Jersey School to offer the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree. The inaugural class of DNP candidates was among more than 500 students honored at the school’s 2008 Convocation. The DNP candidates were also among the 1,770 UMDNJ graduates recognized at the university’s Commencement Ceremony.
Geraldine Bednash, PhD, RN, FAAN, executive director of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, was the keynote speaker. The AACN played a key role in development of the DNP as a new terminal degree for nurses in advanced practice and health care leadership roles.
“Each member of the DNP Class of 2008 is an accomplished nurse of the highest caliber,” notes Susan Salmond, EdD, RN, the nursing school’s interim dean. “They are expert nurses who want to remain on the front-line of nursing, while attaining the highest levels of excellence in practice.”
The Doctor of Nursing Practice offers an alternative to research-focused doctoral degrees in nursing such as the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). While the PhD prepares nurses for careers in areas such as research and academia, the DNP is designed for nurses directly involved in clinical practice or in areas that support clinical practice such as management, education, informatics, and policymaking.
“I chose the DNP program to advance my competencies in leading in an increasingly complex environment,” said Deborah K. Zastocki, DNP, MA, EdM, CNAA, FACHE, president and chief executive officer, at Chilton Memorial Hospital. The Parsippany resident earned the DNP Student Excellence Award for graduating with a 4.0. grade-point average.
UMDNJ’s Class of 2008 also includes its first 19 students to earn the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree with a specialty in Clinical Leadership. Launched in May 2006, the Clinical Leadership MSN program prepares nurses to sit for the national certifying exam for Clinical Nurse Leader—a new nursing role being developed by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing.
Members of the DNP Class of 2008 are:
BERGEN COUNTY
Joyce Hyatt, MSN, MS, RN, CNM, of Elmwood Park
Assistant Professor at UMDNJ-School of Nursing
Jane O'Rourke, MSN, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, of Glen Rock
Chief Nurse Executive at Bergen Regional Medical Center
Marianne Reilly, DNP, RN, CPNP, of Tenafly
Pediatric Nurse Practitioner at Holy Name Hospital; and
Clinical Preceptor, PNP Program Columbia University
BURLINGTON COUNTY
Marcia Johnson, MSN, CRNP of Mount Laurel
Nurse Practitioner for the Department of Veterans Affairs- Fort Dix Outpatient Clinic
ESSEX COUNTY
Donna Cill DNP, FNP-BC, of Maplewood
Director of Continuing Education Director of Continuing Education at UMDNJ-School of Nursing
Ann Sailsman, MS, RN, C, FNP, APRN, BC, DNP, of South Orange
Advance Practice Nurse at UMDNJ-School of Nursing
HUDSON COUNTY
(Rev) Benjamin Evans, MSC, MSN, DD, RN, APN-C, of Jersey City
Director, Clinical Psychiatric Services, Saint Michael’s Medical Center Newark, NJ
HUNTERDON COUNTY
Linda Ries, MA, RN, CNAA of Glen Gardner
Chief Nursing Officer, Hackettstown Regional Medical Center
Ray Scarpa DNP, AOCN, of Flemington
Advanced Practice Nurse and Clinical Instructor at New Jersey Medical School, Department of Surgery
MIDDLESEX COUNTY
Mercedes Echevarria, MSN, APN-C of Parlin
Family Nurse Practitioner at Perth Amboy Board of Education and Visiting Nurse Association of Central Jersey Residence
Rosario P. Estrada, MSN, RN, BC, CPN of Sayreville
Assistant Professor/Nursing Informatics at UMDNJ-School of Nursing
Noel Dougherty Rosner, DNP, NP-C of East Brunswick
Instructor at UMDNJ-School of Nursing and Adult Nurse Practitioner, in the Department of Medicine atRaritan Bay Medical Center, Perth Amboy, NJ
Amy Sirkin, MSN, RN, NP, C, of Plainsboro
Clinical Instructor at UMDNJ-School of Nursing and Nurse Practitioner, Central Jersey Internal Medicine in Somerset and Monroe.
Rita V. Smith, MPA, DNP, RN of Edison
Senior Vice President, Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer at Jersey City Medical Center/LibertyHealth
MORRIS COUNTY
Lorraine McEvoy MSN, RN, OCN, of Landing
Nurse Leader, Ambulatory Services at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York
Deborah K. Zastocki, DNP, MA, EdM, CNAA, FACHE of Parsippany
President and Chief Executive Officer at Chilton Memorial Hospital, Pompton Plains.
PASSAIC COUNTY
Nicole Goetz, MS, APRN-BC of Hewitt
Nurse Practitioner, Division of Upper GI and Endocrine Surgery at Columbia University Medical Center/ New York Presbyterian Hospital
SUSSEX COUNTY
Margaret (Peggy) Fleck DNP, CCRN, RN, APN-C of Newton
Nurse Practitioner at Sparta Medical Associates in Sparta
Daria Napierkowski, MSN, RN, APN, C of Stanhope
Instructor at UMDNJ-School of Nursing
NEW YORK STATE
Fay Spragley, DNP, MSN, RNC, CCRN, APRN, BC of Valley Stream, NY
Clinical Coordinator and Nurse Practitioner at Palisades Medical Center
Adjunct Instructor at UMDNJ-School of Nursing and Adjunct Assistant Professor, Borough of Manhattan Community College
PENNSYLVANIA
Michael Thomas Kost, MS, MSN, CRNA, CNS of Blue Bell, PA
Program Director at Frank J. Tornetta School of Anesthesia at Montgomery Hospital/
La Salle University School of Nursing
