"In our profession, a doctorate gives you credability; but more importantly, it allows you to advocate on behalf of your patients and the nursing profession in a more substantial way."   —Vi-Anne Antrum, RN, FACHE, DNP Student

Dr. Ana Catanzaro, associate dean of Graduate Nursing Programs in the W. Cary Edwards School of Nursing.

The Institute of Medicine's study, The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health advocates a push to double the number of nurses with doctorate degrees by the year 2020.

Leading the Change

In the shifting landscape of healthcare, the one constant is higher education.

Vi-Anne Antrum, RN, considered a number of doctoral programs before discovering one that finally spoke to her.

"I searched for nearly two years for a program that would match my professional aspirations, but wasn't finding anything that I considered exceptional," said Antrum, vice president of Patient Care Services and chief nursing officer at Olean General Hospital in Olean, N.Y.

"There were certainly good doctoral programs out there in healthcare administration, but none with the focus on nursing practice and administration that I was seeking." It wasn't until Antrum noticed an ad in a professional journal for the W. Cary Edwards School of Nursing's Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree program in Systems-Level Leadership that everything began to converge.

"I loved the idea of earning my doctorate in systems-level leadership, because that area really is my passion," she said. "I had already functioned in a systems-level management role and the pace and structure of the program appealed to me."

On any given workday, Antrum's purview can encompass patient care services, patient nutrition, physical therapy, organizational strategy, institutional marketing, environmental services and human resource concerns. "We can't intentionally compromise on any of those fronts, and I'm constantly interfacing with other departments to get things done while delivering the best patient care possible."

Launched in 2016, the 36-credit online DNP program is designed to be completed in 18 months. There are no physical campus visits required and students have 24/7 access to their courses. The program prepares nurse leaders with competencies in advanced nursing practice, organizational leadership, economics and finance, healthcare policy and technology.

"Vi-Anne exemplifies the nurse leaders in our DNP program's important first cohort,” said Dr. Ana Catanzaro, associate dean of Graduate Nursing Programs at the School. "We want to prepare all of our DNP students to make a difference, especially in the realm of healthcare policy in the current environment. The cohort is comprised of nurse leaders including nurse practitioners in private practice and independent consultants. We prepare them to sit at the table competently and confidently with the highest levels of healthcare system and healthcare policy leadership."

Antrum points to the timeliness and relevance of the program for a field in the midst of a transformation. "The number of hospital mergers and acquisitions taking place, coupled with a more holistic approach to patient care, demand a new type of leadership," she said. "The era of the independent hospital is giving way to larger conglomerates that require nurse managers to unify missions and oversee practice, policies and strategies across broader swaths of personnel, facility space, technological platforms and patient care delivery systems." She references the 2010 study by the Institute of Medicine, The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Healththat advocates a push to double the number of nurses with doctorate degrees by the year 2020, to underscore the need for such programs.

The prevailing environment is causing RNs to focus more on their professional development than ever before.

"I'm excited, because the current environment is custom-made for nurses interested in advancing their education," said Antrum. "As a profession, nursing has always focused holistically on a person's entire well-being. Preventative measures, nutrition, lifestyle, educational needs and stress management – all the things patients can do to maintain their physical and emotional well-being – are at the center of this. Nurses are poised to be major players in this new wellness model. It's also encouraging to see an increasing number of RNs obtaining advanced degrees in order to practice in rural and urban areas where people need them the most."

Antrum, a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE), began her own educational journey at Onondaga Community College in Syracuse, N.Y., where she earned her diploma in nursing. She continued her education to earn her bachelor's degree in nursing from Daemen College in Amherst, N.Y. After a couple of years in practice, she realized that her need to have a broader influence in helping people would be better met by an entry into management. She continued her studies to complete dual master's degrees in nursing and nursing administration from the University of Phoenix before completing a healthcare management certificate program at Harvard University.

She is optimistic that her DNP degree will take her to a new level. "In our profession, a doctorate gives you credability, but most importantly, it allows you to advocate on behalf of your patients and the nursing profession in a more substantial way."

Antrum is already putting her DNP curriculum to work. Recently appointed by the American Organization of Nurse Executives' (AONE) Chief Nursing Officer Task Force, she and 12 other volunteer nurse executives from around the country are tasked with helping the organization serve as a resource to current or aspiring nurse leaders interested in expanding their C-suite and managerial competencies.

She and her husband, Jaz, are the parents of two grown children — a 27-year-old daughter and a 24-year-old son — and a cat named Muffins. Off the clock, Antrum is actively involved in her church and its music ministry. To fellow nurses, she counselled, "You've picked the right occupation, now advance your education and just keep going."

Learn more about the DNP program in Systems-Level Leadership.


Insights Home »