School of Nursing & Dental Hygiene (SONDH) Resources
(Last Update: December 2011)
Campus:
The University of Hawai`i (UH) is a land grant, sea grant and space grant university founded in 1907. Ten campuses are located on the four main islands and serve all residents of the State of Hawai`i. The UH system is the only state-supported institution of higher learning in Hawai`i. The University of Hawai`i at Manoa (UHM) on the island of Oahu is the main campus of the UH system, which offers a full range of university programs of undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral and professional studies, graduate research programs and organized research. Due to its extensive number of fields available for doctoral degrees (53) and its diverse student body of over 20,000, of which over 60% are minorities with Asian/Pacific Islanders compromising the largest group, UHM is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a very high research activity (RU/VH).
Library:
The University of Hawai`i at Manoa (UHM) Library provides the largest collection of information and research materials in the State and the Pacific Rim. More than 3.4 million volumes including over 21,000 print and 35,000 electronic serial and periodical titles make this the 49th largest library in the United States. Its online catalog provides access to other local and national indexes, specialized databases and library catalogs throughout the nation. Since 2001 the Library has utilized Endeavor library automation software (Voyager) for the online public access catalog (PAC), circulation services, acquisitions and serials receiving functions. The UH System libraries on all the main Hawaiian Islands have combined their holdings into the main Voyager catalog to provide System-wide information online for all students and faculty accessible through the Hawaii Voyager Library Catalog (www.libweb.hawaii.edu/uhmlib/index).
The interlibrary loan (ILL) service of the UHM Library provides free document delivery of articles to students and faculty upon request. Book requests are also free. These ILL services are also free to distance education students. Students can click on the ILL link when they need to request documents not held by the Library. ILL will order these documents, which will be made available either electronically or in paper form, depending on the age and type of material requested. It should be noted that more than 75% of the interlibrary loan materials are sent electronically and can be easily downloaded by the requestor. Paper documents can be picked up from the Library or mailed to students not residing on Oahu.
Students have full access to the Library’s reference materials, information resources, and special collections and are able to effectively use the appropriate resources either online 24/7 or from within the Library 24/5. Students have access to 49 science databases and more than 3,000 full text electronic science journals.
The UHM Library purchased electronic reference books for a digital reference bookshelf that will support medical and nursing students. Information about accessing these electronic resources is available on the Library home page. Currently, Mr. Paul Wermager, Department Head for the Science and Technology Reference Department and also a registered nurse, is available to provide library instruction. Reserve materials for courses can be placed on electronic reserve. Faculty can send either paper copies to be scanned by library staff or electronic versions of materials they wish to place on reserve. Students can then access the reserve items through the Library's Electronic Reserves at their convenience.
Degree Programs:
The Department of Nursing (DON) offers a comprehensive program to prepare students for careers in nursing, primarily for the State of Hawai`i and the Pacific Basin. Its programs range from the Bachelor of Science in Nursing to Master of Science in Nursing, Post-Master’s Certificate (PMC), Doctor of Nursing Practice and Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing. It is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education and approved by the Hawai`i State of Board of Nursing.
The undergraduate nursing program provides two options: the generic Bachelor of Science (BS) option and the RN/BS option, which enables UH associate degree nursing graduates, qualified graduates from non-system associate degree and diploma nursing programs to complete the BS in nursing degree.
Using a community-based approach to nursing, the Master of Science in nursing program is designed to prepare nurses for advanced practice. Students can select support courses that prepare them for teaching, administration, or public health-related positions. The application of research findings to nursing issues is a major focus of the program.
The Master's Entry Program in Nursing is designed for adult learners with no prior nursing experience/education, who have a baccalaureate degree in another field other than nursing, and who are leadership bound and seeking a career in advanced practice nursing. The purpose of this alternative entry program is to equip students with entry-level professional nurse competencies as a foundation for advanced practice roles.
The Doctor in Nursing Practice Program is designed as a professional (practice) doctorate integrating evidence based practice, quality improvement, and systems leadership to prepare experts in specialized advanced nursing practice. Graduates will be able to function as leaders in clinical and executive positions translating emerging science and developing policy to improve patient and population-based care.
The PhD in nursing program has fostered visionary scholars who are capable of (1) conducting culturally appropriate clinical scholarship to improve the health of a diverse society and (2) teaching in nursing educational programs, especially those with minority student populations.
Laboratory:
The School of Nursing completed a major renovation of Webster Hall in 2012 and created the 8,497 sq. ft. University of Hawai`i Translational Health Science Simulation Center. It is a state-of-the-art facility with statewide network capabilities and is designed to serve the dual functions of a community focal site for clinical nursing education and the conduct of behavioral research. All simulation rooms are equipped with low-, medium-, or high fidelity simulation manikins with bedside access to a teaching electronic health record system. Electronic directories and classroom smart boards are installed throughout the building.
Wireless computing and printing services are available throughout the School of Nursing and portable equipment for power point presentations is available to borrow for use in classrooms that do not have installed computer workstations or projectors.
Clinical:
The School of Nursing has a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with 113 clinical agencies in the State. There are sufficient clinical agency placements to accommodate the number of students. Faculty representative from the three nursing programs on Oahu (University of Hawai`i at Manoa, Hawai`i Pacific University and Kapiolani Community College) meet each semester to plan and coordinate clinical sites to avoid overlaps. A meeting with agency representatives is also held each semester to share the schedule and obtain updates from the agencies. Collaborative arrangements include the Hawai‘i Area Health Education Center (AHEC) program in which undergraduate students during their Community Health Nursing Lab (N471L) and/or Complex Nursing Lab (N475L) can participate in a multidisciplinary team experience providing care to clients who are underserved.
Office & Computer:
The faculty members have private offices with telephone, personal computers with printers, desks and lockable storage space. Internet access is provided via the University campus network.
Research Support:
Under the direction of the Associate Dean for Research, the vision for research at the SONDH is to stimulate and develop a cadre of researchers who will contribute to the advancement of nursing and dental hygiene science to improve the health of the diverse population in Hawaii, the Pacific Basin and Asia by: (1) promoting standards for the conduct of research; (2) supporting academic research activities for faculty and students; (3) advancing collaborative research activities between the School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene and strategic partners; and (4) creating a repository of scholarship and research activities. SONDH faculty and student research activities are supported by three different mechanisms: (1) Office of Research and Extramural Programming; (2) Office of Research Development; and (3) P-20 Center Grant.
The Office of Research and Extramural Programming (OREP) is a resource for faculty and students preparing and managing grants and is supported by a Director, Fiscal Officer, Pre Award Specialist, Research Specialist, Biostatistician, and Grant Writing Coach. Indirect funds generated by faculty from SONDH provide support for this office. Partnership Grants, partially funded and administered by OREP, provide seed funds to teams of researchers comprised of SONDH faculty and nursing staff in the community. SONDH currently has partnership grants in place with two large tertiary level health care organizations in Hawai’i: The Queen’s Medical Center and Tripler Army Medical Center; eleven projects are currently in progress.
The Office of Research Development is supported by an Extramural Associates Research Development Award (EARDA) G11 grant from the NICHD- NIH. The objective of the EARDA program is to further enhance the research capacity of EARDA-eligible institutions by providing support for the continuation of research activities and training in the biomedical and behavioral sciences. A major component of this program is the establishment of an Office of Research Development (ORD) to enhance faculty research in the biomedical and behavioral sciences through support of pilot projects, workshops, seminars, and mentoring/collaborative programs. As of 2009, three pilot projects are in progress and involve faculty from the Department of Psychology and students from nursing and psychology. The ORD is supported by a part-time project director.
The NINR-funded P-20 Exploratory Center for Ohana Self-Management of Chronic Illness (COSMCI) grant is aimed at addressing chronic illnesses, especially among Asian and Pacific Islanders who are most at risk for developing and dying from cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. The Center researches methods of reducing chronic illnesses through family- and community-based practices that encourage healthier lifestyles, better diets, and more exercise by linking interdisciplinary researchers to address these behaviors. Interdisciplinary partners in this effort include faculty from the Department of Public Health, and John A Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) Cancer Research Center of Hawai‘i (CRCH). As of this writing, three studies have been funded: (1) A Breathing Pattern Retraining Self-Management Intervention with an Interactive Telecommunication System Among People with COPD; (2) Kalusagan ay kayamanan (Health is Wealth)-Diabetes Prevention in the Filipino Community on Oahu; and (3) Self-Efficacy and Self-Management of Symptomatic HIV/AIDS: A Pilot Study. The P-20 grant is supported by a full-time project director and two part-time graduate students. A mechanism for Associate members provides access to all resources, add a multidisciplinary component, and provide opportunities to share expertise with members of the Center