Molloy College

Dr. Walsh, Dr. Ginty, Heather Caramanzana, Debra Mendelson, Kristine Ferrucci-Egan, Debra Guerrini, Sandra Estes, Sarah Bradwisch, Jennifer Withall, Kristine McGowan, Sandra Lejeune, Boleine Abellard, Kemi Okunlola, and Mabel Korie

On June 5, 2015, Molloy’s doctoral students headed off to Washington DC for the Health Policy Institute component of NUR 603.  Drs. Walsh and Ginty joined twelve students from the first DNP and the fifth Ph.D. cohorts for an interactive and exciting health policy immersion experience.  The jam-packed week included two days at the headquarters of the American Association of the Colleges of Nursing (AACN). The AACN classroom experience provided a forum for the students to speak with and learn from experts on hot policy topics pertaining to healthcare and advanced education for nurses. Grassroots advocacy, the creation of a unified voice in nursing through coalition work, the impact of nursing on policies relating to patients and the profession, as well as the nuances of the Nurse Licensure Compact, were other points of discussion.  The AACN workshops provided the foundation for a successful Capitol Hill visit later in the week.

The visit to “the Hill” was comprised of two Congressional appointments. In the morning, the students met with one of Senator Charles Schumer’s staffers.  There was also an opportunity to greet and take a picture with the Senator himself!  The afternoon meeting was at the office of Congresswoman Kathleen Rice (Molloy College is within the 4th District!). Education of the Congressional Staff on the importance of the Nursing Workforce Development Programs (Title VIII), advocacy for consistent funding for the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR), and request for support of the Home Health Care Improvement Act of 2015, were the main objectives of these visits. The students provided their own stories of how each of these programs impacted them, their patients, other nursing students, and healthcare, in order to personalize the discussion.

Another highlight of the trip was the excursion to Fort Detrick in Maryland. The students were provided with a private tour and an overview of the work being conducted at the base. Two of the Department of Defense divisions housed there are the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) and United States Army Medical Materiel Development Activity (USAMMDA).  USAMRIID researches biological threats to military personnel and public health, as well as protocols and solutions to address these issues.  One exciting area of current research at USAMRIID is on the development of an Ebola vaccine. USAMMDA’s work includes ushering those new technologies and ideas that are developed at USAMRIID through the regulatory process to earn FDA approval and certification. Once approved, these technologies are dissemination to those service personnel in the field and beyond.

All agreed that the Health Policy Institute was an incredible experience, and one that will not be forgotten!  By day, there were opportunities to share exciting learning experiences, and the evenings were filled with laughter, camaraderie, history and entertainment. — Submitted by Jennifer Withall