OBR Review

Administration and Contacts 

The JPDN Program is immediately responsible to the Deans of the University of Akron and Kent State University Colleges of Nursing. Dr. Christine Wynd of the University of Akron and Dr. Karen Budd of Kent State University are the directors of the program. 

Costs and Financial Assistance

Contact the JPDN program offices for the most current information about program costs. Graduate assistantships for tuition and stipends are available to all qualified students. Other sources of financial assistance are also available.

Addressing the Needs of the State and the Region

Student enrollment in undergraduate nursing programs has increased tremendously due to the national critical shortage of nurses. Unfortunately, due to an additional shortage of nursing faculty, many programs cannot enroll the number of students needed to meet the service demand. Without sufficient doctoral graduates, nursing education, as well as nursing service, will not have suitable candidates for current positions, and because of an aging professoriate, there will be too few replacements for future faculty vacancies. The average age of nursing faculty now is 50 years (full professors are averaging 57 years of age).  Given 10 to 16 years to retirement at age 65, replacements are needed within a relatively short span of time.

In Ohio, the shortage parallels the national picture. Nursing needs in Ohio reflect a 40% shortage of doctorally-prepared nurses. The Ohio job outlook, taken to the year 2005, indicates that registered nursing is predicted to be one of the top 10 occupations with the greatest number of vacancies.

The JPDN program addresses the above-stated needs by producing greater numbers of doctorally-prepared nursing faculty to teach in Ohio’s undergraduate nursing programs. This increase in faculty will allow maximum enrollment of students to meet the demand for registered nurses in the state of Ohio. 

Date of Last Program Review
Internal review: May 12, 2006

Date of Next Program Review 
Internal review: May 12, 2007

Program Goals and Objectives 
Established: March 15, 1999