The new associate dean for the Master of Science in Nursing program describes why the time is now for nurses to advance their education to become the essential health care leaders our nation needs.
Lori A. Edwards, DrPH, BSN, RN, CNS-PCH, BC
Assistant Professor and Associate Dean, Master of Science in Nursing Program
I am honored to step into the role as the newly appointed associate dean for the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program at UMSON. In this position, I can co-create a learning environment where nurses become leaders, scholars, scientists, innovators, social justice advocates, and more. And more importantly, I can help shape the best and brightest nurses for the world. As an alumna of UMSON, I have valued my return to this premier public University that has fostered for more than 130 years the nursing careers of some of the most esteemed visionaries in nursing. My career path and passion for community and public health nursing was launched here when I was a Bachelor of Science in Nursing student many years ago.
As an interprofessional campus, the University of Maryland, Baltimore is where multiple disciplines convene and collectively commit to social justice, health equity, and improving the health of our local neighborhoods. My professional network has grown and my worldview has expanded with colleagues from the schools of Dentistry, Law, Medicine, Pharmacy, and Social Work and from the Graduate School, who collaborate with community partners. These interprofessional connections not only strengthen the work we do with communities but also provide students with opportunities to learn about the realities of life in Baltimore from our local community members. This learning is transformational and career changing.
In my role leading the MSN program, I also collaborate with an incredible team of exemplary leaders who are proposing a new vision for nursing education. The directors of the three Master of Science in Nursing specialties — Community/Public Health Nursing, Health Services Leadership and Management, and Nursing Informatics — are working with their faculty to revise their programs’ curricula to align with the American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s new Essentials. We aim also to meet the learning needs of a new generation of nurses. We are excited about innovative educational strategies that will be relevant and applicable for nurses working in the complex health care industry and dealing with challenges that many populations are facing in the world today.
A nurse who wants to invest in the power of data and information to transform health care values the Nursing Informatics specialty. Graduates of the Community/Public Health Nursing specialty are now leading population health initiatives in health departments, federal agencies, and communities. We are facing an urgent demand for nurse managers in health care; the Health Services Leadership and Management specialty successfully prepares nurses for those leadership roles. Students find that in any of these specialties, they are fully prepared to lead and change health care systems.
We are proud that our MSN specialties have been top ranked nationally by U.S. News & World Report, including top-five rankings in two categories in the 2023 Best Online Programs for the Health Services Leadership and Management specialty. Our master’s program is not only highly ranked, but it is transformational for the future nursing workforce. Students are excited to advance their education, and often a spark within them is reignited as they follow their vision and pursue a graduate degree.
We are at a critical moment in our profession when there is significant demand for nurses to be change agents, and now is a time like no other for nurses to advance their education at this interprofessional, robust University. The Future of Nursing 2020-2030 report highlights that nurses are uniquely positioned as leaders to tackle health inequities and focus on the social determinants of health. Nurses who pursue a master’s degree take that first step to develop new skills, grow professionally, and become those essential leaders.
My all-time favorite quote from the renowned educator Parker Palmer in his book The Courage to Teach sums this up for me: “I have learned that my gift as a teacher is the ability to dance with my students to co-create with them a context in which all of us teach and learn.” It takes real partnerships to dance. I believe we are co-creating a future in which we improve the human condition with nurses who are advancing their careers with an MSN degree. Our MSN program plants seeds and grows future nurse leaders who can transform health care, ensure access to it, create solutions to advance health equity, and innovatively address social determinants of health.
Most importantly, I love hearing from our students and graduates about their personal and professional transformation through this advanced education. When students share those insightful moments about their new vision for our profession, I am inspired. The future is in great hands with these dedicated nursing leaders.
Disclaimer: Elm Voices & Opinions articles reflect the thoughts or opinions of their individual authors, and may not represent the thoughts or values of UMB as an institution.