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Chaminade University’s Healthcare Simulation Program Receives Provisional Accreditation from the Society for Simulation in Healthcare

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After a thorough evaluation, Chaminade University’s School of Nursing and Health Professions’ simulation program has received provisional accreditation from the Society for Simulation in Healthcare (SSH). Accreditation recognizes the school’s expertise in simulation and its ability to meet SSH’s high program standards. 

“Provisional accreditation is very important for our School,” said Rhoberta Haley, PhD, dean of the School of Nursing and Health Professions. “We’re excited about our simulation program, as this type of hands-on learning brings curriculum to life and underscores its relevancy. The real power is in their immersive nature. In a simulation, students are embracing their roles as critical thinkers, as clinicians and as team-based collaborators.”

Recent simulations have included a mock COVID vaccination clinic, a mock encampment of people experiencing houselessness that gave nursing students vital experience “treating” patients who are living on the streets, and a fast-paced epidemiology “unfolding case study” that tasked students with working out the source of a simulated Hepatitis A outbreak with 25 mock patients, each with unique health stories.

The simulation program’s evaluation process included an accreditation application review, detailed review of Chaminade’s simulation program, a virtual site visit with the SSH Simulation Accreditation Review Team and accreditation committee decision. The school will apply for full accreditation in approximately two years. 

SSH and its accreditation process seeks to improve performance and reduce errors in patient care through the use of simulation. The Society promotes improvements in simulation technology, educational methods, practitioner assessment and patient safety that lead to better patient care and improved patient outcomes.  

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Chaminade University of Honolulu believes in the power of education to drive positive change, broaden perspectives and deepen our understanding of one another. With an emphasis on transformative service-learning experiences, we prepare students to serve as tomorrow’s leaders, inspiring and challenging them to use their minds and their hearts to help build stronger and more just communities. We are proud to serve as Hawai‘i’s only Marianist university, and rely on these values to guide us in delivering a high-quality education with an individualized approach and a focus on excellence, innovation and change. Established in 1955, we offer more than 30 undergraduate and graduate programs, including doctoral degrees in education, psychology and nursing practice. Learn more at chaminade.edu.

Alum Named Straub Clinic’s Most Valuable Team Player

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Michael Ono ‘14 made friends at Chaminade that he “still considers family” today.

It’s those relationships and others that have helped buoy him as he works on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic as a registered nurse at Straub Medical Center’s Kahala Clinic and Urgent Care. “Working as an RN during the pandemic has been challenging,” said Ono, who received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Chaminade. “But I am so happy to have a great team and leadership support.”

Michael Ono '14 named Straub Clinic's Most Valuable Team Player

And they are grateful for him, too.

In fact, Ono was recently recognized as the Straub Clinic Most Valuable Team Player. As part of centennial celebrations for Straub, he was also named a “100 for Straub 100” honoree—one of 100 employees who are continuing Dr. George Straub’s legacy of providing quality care to patients.

Ono was nominated for the Most Valuable Team Player recognition by Straub clinic colleague Sheryl Doropan, who called him a huge blessing. “Coming from an ER background, he knows how to handle the difficult situations that walk in,” she said, in a Straub Facebook post. “He’s a solution seeker and a team player, caring and always energetic. There’s never a dull moment working with him.”

Ono said as a Straub nurse, he sees patients of all ages.

He previously worked in the ER and the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit at Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children. He said he is so grateful to his mentors at Chaminade and Kapiolani for helping him grow into the registered nurse he is today. “The ability to see their dedication to their patients and the community has helped me set the bar high for myself and keeps me engaged,” he said.

Ono added, “I am still learning so much about outpatient nursing.”

Welcoming the Inaugural Doctor of Nursing Practice Cohort

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Doctor of Nursing Practice inaugural cohort listening to a guest speaker

Chaminade’s new Doctor of Nursing Practice launched this Fall, and participants were welcomed to campus as part of a hands-on immersion experience designed to build a strong foundation of relationships with their professor-mentors, advisors and peers.

The School of Nursing and Health Professions and Chaminade administration leaders were among those who offered their greetings to students in the immersion. The sessions will be held annually for each cohort and this year’s schedule included campus tours, cultural experiences and a networking panel.

Doctor of Nursing Practice inaugural cohort listening to guest speakers

Dr. Rhoberta Haley, dean of the School of Nursing and Health Professions, described the DNP as an innovative program designed to prepare students for the highest clinical levels of nursing—with a strong emphasis on leadership development and culturally-informed practice for diverse communities.

“There is a critical shortage of healthcare professionals in Hawaii, including highly-skilled nurses equipped to tackle diverse patient needs and help to oversee positive patient outcomes,” Haley said. “We know our DNP program will make a significant impact in the lives of Hawaii residents.”

As part of the DNP program, students choose from one of three concentrations: Family Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner or Post-Master’s Executive Leader.

In her address to new students, Chaminade President Lynn Babington said she looks forward to watching the trajectory of their academic and professional careers. “I have deep respect for all of you for the commitment you have made for extending your education and working at the highest level possible in nursing,” she said.

Doctor of Nursing Practice inaugural cohort's Hawaiian lunch spread

Babington added that what separates Chaminade’s Doctor of Nursing Practice is the University’s “partnership with our communities”—including with those that are traditionally underserved—and a team of faculty and advisors who offer support to students every step of the way in their degrees.

The first cohort for the DNP program has over 20 students.

They officially start on August 23, with instruction delivered fully online in addition to the in-person immersion sessions. The fully-accredited program additionally challenges students to take on an action-based research project, pursuing an area of professional interest that would improve patient care.

Community and Public Health: Power to Help People Live Healthier Lives

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Those at the frontlines of the healthcare industry don’t just work in hospitals.

As the COVID pandemic has made clear, frontline professionals also include health navigators and coaches, nonprofit healthcare administrators, public health project managers and advocates, health data analysts, epidemiologists—and a long list of other experts seeking to build community health.

School of Nursing and Health Profession students participating in a people without houses simulation.

In fact, healthcare that’s focused on prevention, health maintenance and access to care and delivered in the community is among the fastest-growing sectors of the industry, including in the islands, said Chaminade School of Nursing and Health Professions Associate Dean Dr. Pamela Smith.

Smith said Chaminade is helping to meet that strong demand for community health with its unique Bachelor of Science in Community and Public Health, launched in Fall 2020. The innovative program has already attracted significant interest and is preparing graduates for a host of new opportunities.

“Our community really needs community health workers,” said Smith. “They are trusted in our communities, which means patient outcomes are better. Because of that, there’s a significant demand for graduates with this degree and they are very employable after graduation.”

Chaminade’s four-year Community and Public Health degree puts a strong emphasis on individualized instruction, hands-on learning, service to others in the community and mentorship. Students can choose from one of four specializations: Community Health Worker, Environmental and Health, Non-profit Administration and Data Analytics, all of which feature a strong foundation of knowledge.

Smith, who oversees the program, said the specializations were designed following in-depth conversations with community stakeholders and significant research into Hawaii’s healthcare needs. Each one gives students a host of potential career options or opportunities for further study.

“For example,” Smith said, “as a patient care manager, you would be looking at medical records, communicating with the patient, communicating with support agencies to improve health outcomes and access to care. Or in data analytics, perhaps you’d be studying information from pedometers to make conclusions about broader trends and to find potential solutions to boost patient health.”

“There are so many potential pathways to success,” Smith added.

The degree also prepares students to take the national Certified Health Education Specialist exam.

Participants in the Community and Public Health program complete foundational coursework in everything from human biology to science writing, and from bioethics to intercultural communication. Additional specialized study is offered in health disparities, the impact of environment on human health, organizational leadership and behavior and community-engaged computing and data analytics.

Going forward, Smith hopes to continue to expand the program as it attracts more students, especially by extending networking opportunities and offering students additional service-learning experiences.

“This program prepares students to work in the field of healthcare and public health outside of traditional patient care environments,” she said. “The simple truth is community and public health workers have the power to help people live healthier lives, reaching their fullest health potential.”

DNP Program Receives WSCUC Accreditation

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Following a comprehensive review process, Chaminade University’s new Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program has received accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC). The accreditation recognizes that Chaminade University has met high standards of academic quality and effectiveness.

“Receiving this accreditation from WSCUC is a huge step forward as we can begin admitting students to our new DNP program, which will educate family and psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners and nurse leaders,” said Dr. Lynn Babington, Chaminade University president. “Nurses play such a significant role in healthcare delivery, and during times like these, it’s so important to have nurses who are able to innovate and adapt. The DNP program seeks to provide further education for dedicated and passionate nurses to excel as leaders in healthcare.”

Through the Commission’s extensive review, Chaminade University has been shown to have met the four standards of WSCUC accreditation, which include: defining institutional purposes and ensuring educational objectives, achieving educational objectives through core functions, developing and applying resources and organizational structures to ensure quality and sustainability, and creating an organization committed to quality assurance, institutional learning and improvement.

Chaminade University’s DNP program is designed for the registered nurse or advanced practice nurse who aims to provide evidence-based care to culturally diverse populations while also developing a leadership role as an advocate for health and social justice. Through the use of an innovative, technology-enriched, educational approach, the curriculum prepares graduates to address profound healthcare needs of society.

“The DNP program takes a values-based approach to education and patient care, and will incorporate strong community partnerships, individualized mentoring and culturally-informed advanced practice,” said Dr. Rhoberta Haley, Dean, School of Nursing and Health Professions. “We are excited to launch this program, especially during a time when nurse leaders are so urgently needed.”

The WSCUC is an institutional accrediting agency that serves a diverse membership of public and private higher education institutions throughout California, Hawaii and the Pacific, as well as a few institutions outside the U.S. For more information about WSCUC accreditation, visit wscuc.org.

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About Chaminade University Chaminade University of Honolulu provides a collaborative and innovative learning environment that prepares graduate and undergraduate students for life, service and successful careers. Established in 1955, the university is guided by its Catholic, Marianist and liberal arts educational traditions, which include a commitment to serving the Native Hawaiian population. Chaminade offers an inclusive setting where students, faculty and staff collectively pursue a more just and peaceful society.

Learning and Growing by Doing

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Dr. Lorin Ramocki believes in the power of learning and growing—by doing.

The School of Nursing and Health Professions professor has gotten high praise from her students, colleagues and community stakeholders for her innovative use of simulations—centered around hands-on, project-based learning—that help bring her curriculum to life and underscore its relevancy.

With clinical opportunities limited because of the pandemic, over the last academic year alone:

  • To prepare more than 60 Nursing students for work in COVID vaccination clinics, Ramocki created a mock clinic of her own and handed it over to participants to manage. Students learned about the varying roles at vaccination clinics, along with the patient education and monitoring.
  • Ramocki created a mock homeless camp (complete with volunteer actors) on campus for a simulation that gave Nursing students vital experience “treating” patients who are living on the streets, coordinating care with a treatment team and overcoming barriers to helping them.
  • Ramocki even had students put on their public health detective hats for a fast-paced epidemiology “unfolding case study” that tasked them with working out the source of a simulated Hepatitis A outbreak with 25 mock patients, each with unique back stories.
School of Nursing and Health Professions homeless simulation

Dr. Rhoberta Haley, Dean of the School of Nursing and Health Professions, said these types of simulations are obviously more engaging than lectures or rote memorization. And engaged students learn more. But their real power, she said, is in their immersive nature. In a simulation, students are embracing their roles as critical thinkers, as leaders and as team-based collaborators.

“Every step of the way in these simulations, Dr. Ramocki is asking her students to apply what they’ve learned and then build on it as they also work with their peers—whether it’s puzzling out a public health problem that impacts an entire community or ensuring that a single patient gets quality care,” Haley said. “Her students emerge from these simulations much more prepared for success.”

Haley added that she is especially impressed with how Ramocki has stressed not only the key foundational elements of her curriculum in the simulations, but important soft skills—like how to work with a patient to understand their unique needs or how to overcome the stigma of homelessness.

School of Nursing and Health Professions students participate in a vaccination clinic simulation

“That’s what learning by doing really means—doing the real work to understand its many facets.”

Dr. Ramocki said that she designed the simulations to engage students and provide critical clinical hours during the COVID-19 pandemic. Placements in the community for Public Health Nursing clinical course students were limited in 2020, with strict health protocols in place, so Ramocki improvised. “I wanted to give students the best experience possible during this time period,” she said, “when we were restricted to providing clinical experiences only on campus.” And so innovation was born out of adversity.

Dr. Ramocki’s simulated homeless camp was especially intricate.

School of Nursing and Health Professions homeless simulation

The realistic camp was built on campus and included eight case studies, with “patients” who had divergent backgrounds, back stories and health issues that were representative of the broader homeless population. In addition to helping students consider the psychosocial, financial and common medical problems among homeless residents, it also sought to help students develop empathy and reduce stigma as they worked comprehensively to serve a unique and high-needs patient population.

Dr. Ramocki also developed a tuberculosis clinic simulation that included modules for contact tracing, screening and testing, precaution protocols and various treatments. Each patient had a back story that students had to sift through in order check them in assessment and triage them to the appropriate service.

She said while the pandemic created the need for these simulations, she’ll continue to use them.

After all, she’s gotten her own hands-on learning in creating the simulations and rolling them out.