VA Connecticut HealthCare System/ Fairfield University Partnership

The VA Connecticut HealthCare System and Fairfield University School of Nursing have a longstanding partnership that draws upon the strengths of the clinical environment, unique qualifications of university faculty members, and commitment to educating nurses. For over 25 years VA Connecticut HealthCare has provided clinical experiences for nursing students in a variety of specialty areas including psychiatry, medicine, surgery, and primary care. Beginning with the fall semester 2007 through the fall semester 2012, VA Connecticut HealthCare and Fairfield University School of Nursing will be partners to meet the goals and objectives set forth by the VA Nursing Academy. The nursing student population will be drawn from the Second Degree baccalaureate program at the Fairfield University School of Nursing Program. The following objectives will be met:

1. New faculty members will be hired for a total of 5 FTE (Full Time Teaching Equivalent).
2. Student clinical rotations will be identified.
3. Students currently enrolled will begin selected clinical rotations in fall 2007. Students in the next class which begins summer 2008 will represent the first full cohort.
4. Professional development for new faculty members will be provided by experts at Fairfield University.
5. Employment opportunities will be made available at VA Connecticut HealthCare upon graduation with a target rate of 60% employment of the new nursing graduates.
6. A plan for dissemination of results in journals and at professional meetings will be developed.

Points of Interest:

• Students will be recruited by the Fairfield University School of Nursing. VA employees with non-nursing degrees and have been employed at the VA for at least one year may be eligible to receive scholarship funds if they choose to apply to become a student in this program.
• Each student will be assigned a staff nurse mentor.
• VA Nursing Academy faculty members will teach each cohort group either at Fairfield University or at the VA.
• Surveys to measure patient satisfaction, student satisfaction, staff satisfaction, and faculty satisfaction will be conducted.

Faculty:

• Doris Troth Lippman, APRN, EdD, BC, FAAN, Professor, Fairfield University and Sadiann Ozment, MPH,RN,CHES, Director, Hospital Education VA Connecticut HealthCare System will coordinate the program.
• Additional faculty were hired September 2007.