UH Manoa nursing faculty member selected for prestigious national fellowship

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Contact:
Mary Boland, Dean
School of Nursing & Dental Hygiene
Posted: Sep 25, 2008

A national Fellowship program focused on leading the country‘s health care system into the 21st century has been awarded to Victoria Niederhauser, DrPH, an Associate Professor at the School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa. She is one of twenty nurses in executive leadership roles nationwide selected as a 2008 Robert Wood Johnson Executive Nurse Fellow.

Now in its 11th year, the three-year Fellowship program is designed to strategically position the voice of nursing across many sectors of the economy in a health care system undergoing unprecedented change and challenges.

"Nurses must play a pivotal role in leading the redesign and success of health care now and into the future," said Dr. Niederhauser. "The Executive Nurse Fellowship is an intensive opportunity to develop critical leadership skills, work with a nationally recognized team of coaches and instructors from within the health care industry as well as from other sectors of the economy, and benefit from collaboration with nursing and health care leaders throughout the country. I am honored and excited to be selected as a participant."

Mary Boland, Dean, School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene, was delighted about Vickie‘s selection stating that "her professional knowledge, initiative and demonstrated leadership show that she is ready to advance her leadership scope. Due to Hawai'i‘s geographic isolation and small population, it is challenging for our next generation of leaders to gain mentorship and support for their continued development. The Fellowship will provide her support to further her contributions to nursing and Hawai'i."

As part of the Fellowship, Dr. Niederhauser will have an opportunity to undertake a leadership project to support nursing education and address nursing workforce shortage. With funding support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and matching funds from the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa nursing program, Niederhauser will develop an innovative, efficient and cost-effective solution to assist with developing new nursing faculty at the UH Mānoa School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene.

"The nursing shortage, combined with the anticipated number of faculty retirements projected to occur within the next five years, is a major concern to nursing leaders across the state," said Dean Boland. "Our school‘s ongoing planning efforts affirm that focused interventions are required to develop, recruit and retain faculty to address the nursing shortage and produce the next generation of professional nurses." Dr. Niederhauser‘s project has the potential to become a statewide and nationwide model that nursing programs will be able to use to assist with faculty development.

Niederhauser has been a nurse for over 28 years and says that "nursing has never been just a job; it is an integral part of my life." As an Advanced Practice Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, she is a national pediatric expert and author in primary care pediatric nursing. In 2006, she was awarded the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners‘ State Award for Excellence. Currently, Dr. Niederhauser is the Interim Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, providing oversight and leadership for over 500 undergraduate and graduate nursing students..

The UH Mānoa School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene is at the forefront of health professionals education offering innovative programs enhanced by simulation technology and web-based education, with rich clinical experiences, cooperative internships, and interdisciplinary study opportunities. SONDH is committed to addressing the nursing shortage while contributing to advancing the discipline and science of nursing. To learn more, visit: www.nursing.hawaii.edu.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation focuses on the pressing health and health care issues facing our country. As the nation's largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to improving the health and health care of all Americans, the Foundation works with a diverse group of organizations and individuals to identify solutions and achieve comprehensive, meaningful and timely change. For more than 35 years the Foundation has brought experience, commitment, and a rigorous, balanced approach to the problems that affect the health and health care of those it serves. By helping Americans lead healthier lives and get the care they need, the Foundation expects to make a difference in your lifetime. For more information, visit www.rwjf.org.