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Meet our Program Directors
Christine Savage , PhD, RN
Associate Professor of Nursing
Procter Hall, Room 227
Phone: (513) 558-5241
Fax: (513) 558-2142
Christine.Savage@UC.Edu
Dr. Savage began her career in nursing working in pediatrics but quickly became interested in the health of mothers and babies within the community. She worked in this area for a number of years and identified a pattern of alcohol and other drug use as a consistent problem in the population of high risk babies that she provided care for. Based on this she went back to an inpatient setting working with women with substance abuse problems seeking treatment. This led to multiple opportunities within the health care system including running an infection control and employee health program and serving as a Director of Nurses. In her capacity as a nurse administrator, Dr. Savage developed implemented and evaluated population-based programs. In addition she participated as a leader in community partnerships aimed at improving the health of communities and employees. Examples of these activities included a pregnant addict program, a community partnership related to HIV prevention and treatment and running OSHA required employee health programs.
Professor Savage is known for her expertise in community health nursing and has served as the director of community health masters program since 1997. She has taught courses in epidemiology, nursing science, community health and nursing administration.
FAQs
What is the traditional community health nursing role?
Since
the late 1980s, nursing has had a solid tradition of serving communities and
populations with a demonstrated record of reducing morbidity and mortality.
Though hospital-based nursing became the preferred setting for the practice
of nursing after World War II, there has been an increasing focus on returning
to our roots-partnering with communities
to provide care aimed at improving the health of everyone.
Why choose community health nursing?
If you are interested
in working with communities and organizations to develop programs that affect
larger numbers of people, then community nursing is for you. For example, a
recent graduate is working in an urban neighborhood in a parish nurse program.
She implemented a diabetes program for those with low literacy and was able
to demonstrate its effectiveness in improving the population's
ability to self-manage their disease and reduce use of more expensive health
care resources. So if you want to make a difference and like working with larger
groups, community health nursing is the place for you!
What does the program consist of?
The program combines courses that you take for the MSN, courses in community
health nursing, and clinical practicum hours. Completion of the program qualifies
you to sit for the clinical nurse specialist national certification exam
in community health nursing. The practicum requires 510 hours. Courses include
content related to epidemiology, community assessment, health planning and
evaluation and provide the opportunity for you to take elective courses that
focus on a specialty area. The program offers 61 credits and can be completed
full- or part-time.
What are the opportunities in this field?
Overall the CNS's role is growing as more organizations recognize the
value of the nurse with a clinical specialty who can develop, implement and
evaluate programs. Opportunities exist in many settings, including public health
departments, communities, clinics and even acute care.
Do I have to retake any part of the certification test if I move to a different
state?
No. The certification exam is nationally recognized, and you are certified
wherever you go. However, what you are allowed to do in each state may differ,
so you need to be aware of the state's nursing regulations covering advanced
practice.
What is the average yearly salary on graduation?
This differs with job function and geographical location. This is an interdisciplinary
field with many types of opportunities. Salary often depends on the role
the graduate is looking for as well as the section of the country. Advancement
in the field often requires accumulation of experience after graduation.
Starting salaries range from $45,000 to $60,000. However, there is no “glass
ceiling” in this field, and graduates who accumulate experience can
expect to see their salary increase quickly over their first five years,
and salaries 10 years out have the potential to reach six figures.
Where are clinical sites?
Clinical sites vary, based on the student's individual interest. Students
have been placed in public health, community, acute care and research settings.
The student works closely with a preceptor and faculty while developing skills
in community assessment, diagnosis and program planning. Clinical hours are
not all spent in a bricks-and-mortar setting and are quite flexible.
