|
|
Meet our Program Directors
Edith Morris, PhD, RN, CS-PNP
Associate Professor
Director, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
Program
Procter Hall, Room 238
Phone: (513) 558-5243
Fax: (513) 558-2142
Edith.Morris@UC.Edu
Edith Morris, PhD, RN, CS-PNP is the director of the Pediatric Advanced Practice Nurse Program. She has an extensive clinical background in care of children of all age groups and specializes in the adolescent population. Additionally, she has a long history in professional nursing education, and has held several faculty and administrative positions in nursing programs. Dr. Morris currently holds a position as Adolescent Nurse Practitioner in the Teen Clinic and is actively involved with the Advanced Nurse Practice Group at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.
Dr. Morris received a BSN from Ohio State University, a MSN and SCN from Indiana University and a PhD in Nursing from Wayne State University. In addition to state licensure (RN) and certification (Certified Nurse Practitioner and Certificate to Prescribe), she is certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner and by the National Commission on Correctional Health Care as a Certified Correctional Health Professional.
Dr. Morris holds multiple memberships in professional and honorary organizations at local, state, regional, and national levels, a few of which include: Sigma Theta Tau, Transcultural Nursing Society, Midwest Nursing Research Society and Tri-state Association for Advanced Practice Nurses, as well as serving on a National Task force for PNP curriculum development. Dr. Morris has given multiple professional presentations, published and is active in theory-based research related to urban health care for underserved adolescents.
FAQ's
Can I enroll in the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner program part-time?
Yes, you can be a part-time student. This usually means that you take all the
non-nursing (supporting) courses first, then start the pediatric primary
care courses along with the practicum. The practicum requires that you be
in a clinical area 12-24 hours a week in addition to the four-hour
class. This schedule would continue for three quarters. Supporting courses
can be taken one or two at a time and usually are not as time intensive as
the clinical courses. The pharmacology course cannot be scheduled more than
three years from the time that you apply for a certificate to prescribe (Ohio
law).
Can I specialize in a particular area of pediatrics?
Our current program is in pediatric primary care advanced-practice nursing,
meaning that you must have most of your clinical hours in primary care sites.
A limited number of hours can be allocated to a particular specialty, but
it in no way prepares you for certification in a specialty.
In what kind of clinical sites will I be practicing?
Clinical sites include ambulatory clinics associated with a medical center,
private physicians' offices and urban, rural and school-based health
center clinics. You will be assigned to a clinical preceptor in one of the
sites and will work as a nurse practitioner with that person for as long
as 10 weeks at a time.
Can I practice in a site outside the Cincinnati area or in a site not designated
by the program?
It is possible to negotiate a site that is not currently used by our program.
You will need to advise the director of the program in writing if you want
to use such a site, and the program director will evaluate the site for suitability
in relation to the program's goals, certification requirements and your
personal goals.
It is also possible to practice in sites outside of the Greater Cincinnati area. Generally speaking, negotiating a site anywhere in Ohio would be feasible. Out-of-state sites would also be considered; however, there may be more involved in gaining approval to such sites since each state has its own laws that govern advanced-practice nurses. You would need to follow the procedure outlined above.
How many are accepted into the program each year?
We have been able to accept all students who meet eligibility requirements,
which has been 10-12 students yearly. See admission requirements.
If I am not accepted, should I apply again?
Students are urged to reapply if not accepted the first time. You should make
an appointment with the program director if you are not accepted and want
to pursue acceptance for the following year. The purpose of this meeting
would be to determine the reason you were not accepted, and what you need
to do during the year you are waiting to reapply.
When do classes start and how long is the program?
Classes start in the fall quarter. The program is five quarters (64 quarter
credit hours) long. If you are full-time and take courses as outlined in
the program plan, you may expect to finish at the end of the winter quarter
(March) the following year with a master of science degree in nursing. At
this time you will be eligible to apply for national certification.
When can I expect to start clinical experiences?
Clinical experiences start in the spring quarter, two quarters after you begin
the program of study.
Is there a thesis/research requirement?
You may choose a master's thesis or a capstone project. The thesis requires
you to generate research, while the capstone allows you to complete a project
by assimilating information based on existing research. The thesis is recommended
for students planning to continue in a doctoral program.
What is the pass rate of your graduates on the certification exam?
The program has enjoyed a pass rate above the national average on the Pediatric
Nursing Certification Board (PNCB).
I already have a master's degree
in nursing. How can I get certified as a PNP?
The College of Nursing has a post-master's certification program. You
will likely have many or most of the non-nursing requirements completed as
part of your MSN program. If you are a nurse, but your master's degree
is in a field other than nursing, you will need to see an advisor to determine
what courses may be transferable into the MSN-PNP program.
Do you have a doctor of nursing practice program?
We do not currently offer a doctorate in nursing practice.
Is your program accredited?
The College of Nursing is accredited by CCNE, and the pediatric advanced-practice
master's program is fully certified through NONPF.
Do you offer online courses?
Yes, selected courses are offered online each year.
Is it possible to take courses in the summer and finish at the end of the
fall quarter?
Currently only selected practicum courses are offered in the summer. Four practicum
hours may be taken with a preceptor in the summer in order to lighten the clinical
hour load through the fall quarter.
