Chair of the Department of Nursing

National University

announces a national search for the

Chair of the Department of Nursing

in San Diego, California

For full information, see the Search Profile at http://myersmcrae.com/skins/userfiles/files/NU-Nursing.pdf

National University, a veteran-founded, nonprofit institution of higher learning in California, invites applications for the Chair of the Department of Nursing in the School of Health and Human Services. This appointment begins Summer 2018. The university is seeking a visionary candidate who can provide academic, nursing, and administrative leadership to meet the mission and goals of the department, school, and university for a multi-campus and multicultural community. Review of applications begins immediately.

The Opportunity

National University (NU) was founded in 1971 by retired U.S. Navy Lt. Comdr. David Chigos. Today, the university serves more than 30,000 students, through six academic colleges and schools.

The university provides accessible, achievable higher education to adult learners online and on-campus across the nation and globe. Since its founding, NU has been especially committed to enabling active military personnel and veterans and their families reach their higher education goals.

Committed to delivering an exceptional student experience, NU works to ensure that the education students receive is among the most rigorous, relevant, and rewarding in higher learning. A pioneer in digital teaching, NU has offered online classes for more than 20 years.

Housed in the School of Health and Human Services (SHHS), the Department of Nursing consists of a diverse faculty and student body distributed over four distinct regional campuses within the state of California. The Chair of the Department of Nursing (Chair) provides an opportunity for an experienced nurse educator to lead these undergraduate and graduate nursing programs.

School of Health and Human Services

The School of Health and Human Services (SHHS) consists of the Department of Nursing, the Department of Community Health, and the Department of Health Sciences. Its multi-site campuses are located in Los Angeles, Fresno, San Diego, and Costa Mesa. The SHHS offers 17 degree programs and provides a wide range of online and on-site undergraduate and graduate programs including Nursing, Public Health, Healthcare Administration, Health Informatics, Nurse Anesthesia, Clinical Affairs, Clinical Lab Sciences, Radiation Therapy, Integrative Health, and Health and Life Sciences Analytics.

Awarded a federal grant of $1.4 million in 2014, the SHHS is the recipient of funding to prepare corpsmen and medics to earn the BSN credential. As the only academic institution in California to have been granted this award, the project has received significant nationwide press coverage, and is the subject of abstracts that have been presented at national and international conferences. The project is in its fourth year of funding.

Awarded a federal grant of $1.5 million in 2015, the SHHS is the recipient of funding to establish a nurse-led, interprofessional collaborative project to provide needed primary care services in three underserved communities of Los Angeles. The project manages the care of over 400 patients using telehealth care technologies to improve access to care. SHHS faculty and students in eight of the School’s disciplines participate in the project. The project is in its third year of funding.

In October 2017, NU’s SHHS achieved Planetree Silver Recognition for Significant Advancement in Person-Centered Care, the first academic institution in the world to achieve this recognition. The Planetree partnership positions National University as a leader in training a new generation of healthcare providers as compassionate, competent professionals dedicated to achieving the highest quality patient outcomes, while serving diverse communities through a person-centered model of care.  

Established in 2014, the SHHS Center of Excellence for Health Sciences Research and Education oversees seven Core Directors and staff who manage the Administrative Core, Interprofessional Core, Community Engagement Core, Healthcare Outcomes Research Core, Integrative Health Core, Data Management Core, Health Innovation Technology Core, and the Competency-Based Education Core. The Center publishes a quarterly report that showcases the authorship, grantsmanship and community partnerships associated with its mission, which impacts the health of individuals and populations through innovative, cost effective, and inter-professional scholarship and research.

The student-led Holiday Cheer Event is celebrated each year during the month of December and is orchestrated by the student organizations within the SHHS. Families in need are identified by the students, who task their respective organizations to fundraise and secure donations to purchase items from each family’s wish list. The celebrations are held on each of the four campuses honoring the selected families. Now in its fifth year, over 30 families have been the recipients of items ranging from clothing to toys and household products. National University donates completely refurbished computers loaded with the latest software as a gift to each family.

Department of Nursing

The predominant themes from the Department of Nursing mission statement reflect the diversity of the student body, the faculty, and the educational delivery systems. These themes center on relevance and excellence of academic programs, a learner-centered educational approach, and accessibility to the diverse community.

Across the four campus locations, nursing enrollment totals more than 775 students. The Department maintains approximately 50 full-time faculty, who are assisted in covering the nursing theory and clinical courses with approximately 140 adjunct faculty, all of whom hold BRN approval.

The Department of Nursing offers undergraduate, graduate and post-master’s certificate programs of study:

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)– RN Completion
• BSN generic entry (California)
• BSN Second-Bachelor Degree
• Nursing Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) to BSN
• Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)
  • Family Nurse Practitioner
  • Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner-Lifespan
  • Nursing Informatics
  • Nursing Administration
  • Post-Master’s Certificate Programs
    • Family Nurse Practitioner Certificate
    • Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner-Lifespan Certificate
  • Master of Science in Nurse Anesthesia (MSNA)

Accreditations

• The baccalaureate degree program in nursing, the master’s degree program in nursing, and the post graduate APRN certificate programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
• The Nurse Anesthesia Program is fully accredited by the Council on Accreditation for Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA).

The Position

Reporting to the Dean of the SHHS, the Chair will be responsible for the oversight of the undergraduate, graduate, and anesthesia nursing programs, as well as a Doctorate of Nursing Anesthesia Practice Program, which is in the planning stages.  

The goals and challenges of the Nursing Department dictate the need for a candidate who has the ability to lead a complex, multi-campus department, ensuring compliance with all applicable accreditation standards and regulatory requirements. The Chair will be expected to demonstrate excellence in management skills while meeting the tripartite mission of the academy in teaching, research, and service to the department, school, university, community, and the nursing profession.

Responsibilities will include:

• Conduct evaluation of faculty and student performance.
• Provide oversight of departmental committees.
• Identify program outcomes in collaboration with faculty.
• Ensure the infusion of technology and other instructional strategies into the curriculum.

Qualifications

Candidates must have an earned doctorate in nursing or related field from a regionally accredited institution. The Master of Science in Nursing degree is required if the doctoral degree is not in nursing.

Candidates must have sufficient qualifications and experience to warrant appointment at the rank of associate professor or professor. Demonstrated excellence in teaching, scholarship, and professional service is expected. Skilled in the use of technology, software, and resources to assist in the delivery of course content is required.

It is expected that the candidate will be eligible for licensure and approval by the California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN) to serve as the director of the nursing program, with documentation to demonstrate recent nursing practice in a specialty area.

Other requirements are:

• Five to seven years of progressively responsible faculty and administrative experience in baccalaureate and higher degree programs in nursing education, preferably in programs with large student enrollment
• Track record of successful submission of self-study reports for regional and national nursing accreditation and in-depth understanding of program organization, development, and maintenance
• An established reputation as a leader in nursing and higher education with prior experience as a nursing dean or chair, and the ability to demonstrate exceptional leadership experience in multi-departmental settings
• The ability to lead faculty in the advancement of scholarship, distance education, funding, and community involvement, commensurate with the level of a graduate-degree-granting department

Preferred Qualifications

• PhD in nursing
• Track record of grant-funded program initiatives
• Experience in the online mode of instruction at the graduate level
• Hold national board certification in a specialty area
• Evidence of experience with strategic and financial planning

Employment is contingent upon proof of the legal right to work in the United States. This proof must be provided prior to employment at the University. An appointment is not final until proof is provided and the BRN approval to serve as a director has been granted.

Application and Nomination Process

Confidential inquiries are welcomed and nominations are invited.

To Apply - Application packet must include:

1. a) A letter of interest
2. b) Current curriculum vitae
3. c) Evidence of or eligibility for a current and unencumbered

     California Registered Nursing license

1. d) Five letters of references
2. e) At least three references with full contact and e-mail information

   (References will not be contacted without applicant’s consent.)

Submit application packet to NU-Nursing@myersmcrae.com by May 16, 2018, for best  consideration. Review of materials begins immediately.

Submit nominations to NU-Nominations@myersmcrae.com with full contact and e-mail information for the individual being nominated.

Kenny Daugherty, President, and Emily Parker Myers, CEO, of Myers McRae Executive Search and Consulting are assisting National University with this search. Jennifer Barfield, Senior Vice President, will assist them.

Myers McRae Executive Search and Consulting

515 Mulberry Street, Suite 200, Macon, Georgia 31201

www.myersmcrae.com | 478-330-6222

National University is an Equal Opportunity Employer.