Chaminade University of Honolulu

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Chaminade Awarded $2.3M to Bolster Behavioral Health Workforce

To help fill the urgent demand for more mental health services, Chaminade University of Honolulu has been awarded a $2.34 million federal grant over four years to expand and strengthen the state’s behavioral health workforce.

The Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training (BHWET) award provided by Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) supports Chaminade’s initiative to develop a health care workforce in a comprehensive effort to address the acute shortage of mental health professionals across the islands.

Dr. Pamela Smith (Associate Dean, School of Nursing and Health Professions)
Pamela Smith, EdD, APRN-Rx

Hawai‘i is facing a critical shortage of mental health services, especially for children, adolescents and homeless members of the community. The lingering effects of the pandemic, recent natural disasters such as the Maui wildfires, compounded by economic uncertainty and systemic healthcare gaps, have driven an unprecedented demand for behavioral health support.

The BHWET initiative will primarily serve young adults and marginalized populations throughout Hawai‘i, ensuring that care reaches those who need it most.

By equipping nurse practitioners with advanced behavioral health training and embedding them in community health settings, Chaminade University aims to transform access to care across the state.

The grant, awarded to Chaminade’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) program will provide support to students, faculty, clinical preceptors, and community organizations in order to educate future PMHNPs in an interprofessional setting while concurrently strengthening the interdisciplinary team approach to delivering care.

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“Our mission is rooted in developing a workforce capable of serving the community,” said Dr. Pamela Smith, vice dean of the School of Nursing and Health Professions and DNP director. “With this support, we’re not only expanding educational access for future PMHNPs, we’re directly addressing the workforce gaps that are preventing families and children from getting the care they need.”

This latest grant strengthens Chaminade University’s mission to serve Hawai‘i by investing in the next generation of mental health providers and expanding access to care where it’s needed most.

Dr. Lorin Ramocki, dean of the School of Nursing and Health Professions, added that by advancing workforce training and community-based partnerships, “Chaminade is taking meaningful steps to close the mental health care gap and uplift underserved populations across the state.”

As Chaminade’s PMHNP track coordinator and grant program lead, Dr. Dana Monday will work with key community collaborators in this initiative, including the Institute of Human Services (IHS) and Child and Family Services (CFS). Both agencies offer deeply rooted, community-based services to vulnerable populations.

Chaminade’s BHWET initiative directly addresses this crisis through a multi-faceted approach:

• Recruitment and Training: The program will support and train a new generation of Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners (PMHNPs) by providing targeted financial support to students in Chaminade’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program, lowering economic barriers to entry into this vital field.

• Field Placement and Experiential Learning: New and expanded partnerships with community organizations will provide students with hands-on experience in integrated care settings across high-need areas, particularly in underserved communities.

• Interprofessional and Team-Based Training: Students will train alongside professionals from various health disciplines, learning to deliver collaborative, holistic care that integrates behavioral health into primary care environments.

• Preceptor Development: The program will also focus on increasing the capacity of experienced behavioral health professionals to serve as clinical preceptors and mentors for the next generation of practitioners.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Chaminade has graduated more than 650 students in behavioral health majors, including Doctor of Clinical Psychology (PsyD), Bachelor’s in Psychology, Masters in Counseling Psychology (MSCP), Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), and started Doctor of Marriage and Family Therapy (DMFT) and Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy (MSMFT) programs.

The DNP program, launched in 2021, has four specialty tracks, including Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP), Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), Executive Leader, and the only Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP) program in the state.

(HRSA Award Grant No. M01HP54853-01-00)

Nursing Doctoral Students Put Theory Into Practice

Stepping away from their online learning, Chaminade Doctor of Nursing Practice students gathered on campus last month for an immersive week of hands-on instruction and collaboration.

“The DNP immersion allows students to connect with their faculty in-person and network with peers and community members,” said Pamela Smith, Ed.D., APRN-Rx, FNP-BC, director of the DNP program and associate dean of the School of Nursing and Health Professions.

“The immersion also allows students an opportunity to practice skills they would not be able to experience virtually.”

Parts of the immersion schedule included all DNP students, but there were also track-specific breakouts.

For example, Family Nurse and Pediatric Nurse Practitioner track students attended sessions in suturing, case studies and advanced health assessments. Meanwhile, students in the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner track attended workshops on therapy technique.

DNP students gather annually for the immersion experience.

And Smith said that while skills building and application are front and center, there is also plenty of time set aside for connecting with fellow cohort members and for strengthening relationships with faculty mentors.

Those in-person connections were a highlight of the week for Amy Olsen, DNP ’26.

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“I know there is a lot of planning that goes into the immersion week,” said Olsen, who is in the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner track. “All the professors make sure we feel seen as individuals and plan meaningful group events for us. I love being on Chaminade’s beautiful, peaceful campus, surrounded by fragrant flowering trees and stunning architecture.”

Olsen is pursuing a DNP after two decades in the profession.

She is seeking the advanced degree to build on her leadership and clinical skills.

“Being a nurse is how I give back to the community, and it has enriched my life in many ways,” she said. “So I decided to challenge myself by going back to school, and now I’m excited to be a DNP because it’s still fundamentally nursing and I’ll be able to have a more powerful impact on people’s lives.”

Michelle Burns, DNP ’26 (left), who is pursuing the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner track, said the immersion program helped her build stronger connections with her fellow students.

Michelle Burns, DNP ’26, who is pursuing the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner track, said that completing proctored skills assessment during the immersion program was a rewarding challenge.

“I am truly grateful to have such a supportive Nursing program administration team and it reflects Chaminade University’s mission to provide education in a collaborative learning environment,” Burns said, adding she also appreciated catching up with friends and professors.

Burns, a school nurse at Our Lady of Good Counsel School as part of a new pilot program with Chaminade, said the immersion experience is a “great way to bring all the DNP students together and put our learning into practice.”

“We all come from different backgrounds and levels of expertise, and it’s nice to have the opportunity to come together and learn from and support each other.”

Nursing Students Offer Preventive Care

The Parish Health Program allows students to apply what they’ve learned

Every Sunday, a group of Chaminade nursing students gather at a Honolulu church to educate parishioners on the importance of health and nutrition. Established two years ago, the University’s Parish Health Program has provided access to healthcare screenings to thousands of churchgoers.

And earlier this month, the program expanded to a third parish: St. Anthony Kalihi.

At St. John the Baptist Church, which also participates in the program, Father Jaroslaw Z. Skrzypek said offering the one-on-one preventive health outreach has proven a support system to parishioners.

“It fosters a sense of community and shared values around health and well-being” said Skrzypek.

Likening the parish program outreach to clinical rotations—but at a church instead of a hospital—Associate Professor and Parish Health Coordinator Sandy Bourgette-Henry said students benefit from the real-world, hands-on experience and making connections with community members.

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“The best way to reach the community is to go where they gather,” Bourgette-Henry said.

“In this case, we go to the various parishes.”

Katrina “Nina” Jackson ’25 said giving her time, care and attention to parishioners has allowed her to sharpen her skills and also has proven personally rewarding. “This gives us an opportunity to get out into the community and see what residents’ needs are,” she said. “I think this program is important because it allows us to educate people about such health topics as nutrition, CPR and physical activity.”

A grant from the Marianist Sponsorship Ministries Foundation grant helped launch the innovative program in 2022, funding health promotional items like pedometers, blood pressure monitors, cuffs and gift cards for local farmers markets as incentives to maintain healthy habits.

Kaiser Permanente, through the Catholic Care Coalition, has also contributed to the program’s success.

Students enrolled in NUR 401 are charged with offering services through the Parish Health Program. Along the way, they also learn about public health theory, health promotion, and relationship-building.

In addition to aligning with Chaminade’s service-focused mission, the program also supports the University’s efforts to promote UN Sustainable Development Goals, including a focus on wellbeing.

When the Parish Health Program is at St. John the Baptist Church on Sundays, students screen about 600 parishioners across three Masses.

NUR 401 Public Health students visit St. John the Baptist Church in Kalihi as part of Chaminade's Parish Health Program. Pictured are, from left, standing, Victoria Ayala, Nina Jackson, James Kightlinger, Kaulana Navares and Jasmin Clayton.
NUR 401 Public Health students visit St. John the Baptist Church in Kalihi as part of Chaminade’s Parish Health Program. Pictured are, from left, standing, Victoria Ayala, Nina Jackson, James Kightlinger, Kaulana Navares and Jasmin Clayton.

They take blood pressure readings, offer nutritional recommendations, and discuss diabetes management and cardiac care.

Last semester, they even screened for food insecurity among parishioners at Co-Cathedral of St. Theresa of the Child Jesus in Kalihi. Bourgette-Henry said students distributed 150 food vouchers on one particular Sunday.

“We were trying to determine if food insecurity is correlated with high blood pressure,” Bourgette-Henry said. “I know that the American Heart Association wants to do this again in the future, and so do we.”

A former cardiac nurse with 30 years of experience, Bourgette-Henry noted that heart disease is the leading cause of death in Hawaii. She said the old model of healthcare waits for patients to present with symptoms. The new one, aligned with the Parish Health Program, “focuses on prevention.”

“The students are really eager to teach parishioners how to take care of themselves,” Bourgette-Henry added. “All participating students find this program fulfilling and beneficial to their future as nurses.”

Doctor of Nursing Practice Immersion

The Doctor of Nursing Practice program helps to address a shortage of healthcare providers

Members of Chaminade’s newest Doctor of Nursing Practice cohort gathered on campus this week for a series of seminars, trainings and social events aimed at starting their new academic journey off right.

The DNP Immersion agenda included a special welcome address from Chaminade President Lynn Babington, who congratulated the new students for advancing their education to better serve others. “Chaminade is proud to play an important role in educating our future leaders in healthcare and expert clinicians,” Babington said, speaking to the nine new students in this year’s DNP cohort.

Three recent Silversword nursing graduates—Ashley Jardine ’24, Lisa Kawamura ’24 and Daniel Gardner ’24—are among the new DNP candidates and said they’re motivated to help address the shortage of healthcare providers in Hawaii and help prepare the next generation of nurses for the islands.

“I always wanted to be in healthcare,” said Gardner, who currently serves as a registered nurse at Kalihi Elementary. “My dad was a Green Beret medic and he helped a lot of people, which is what I want to do.”

Cohort member Jacqueline “Jacquie” Bassett is focusing on the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner track of the DNP, which is the highest clinical degree available in the nursing field. A nurse with the oncology ward at Straub Medical Center, Bassett hopes to relocate to Hawaii Island after completing her doctoral degree because so many communities are healthcare deserts.

“They desperately need mental healthcare workers there,” Bassett said.

“My parents own a homecare facility on the Big Island, and they see firsthand the need for—not just physical healthcare but mental healthcare, as well.”

Chaminade President Lynn Babington, Ph.D., congratulated the new cohort of Doctor of Nursing programs for advancing their education.
Chaminade President Lynn Babington, Ph.D., congratulated the new cohort of Doctor of Nursing programs for advancing their education.
Maryann Kaiwi Salvador, FNP-BC ’23 gave a ZOOM presentation to the new cohort of Doctor of Nursing Program students.
Maryann Kaiwi Salvador, FNP-BC ’23 gave a ZOOM presentation to the new cohort of Doctor of Nursing Program students.
Doctor of Nursing Program students listened as Maryann Kaiwi Salvador, FNP-BC ’23 talked about her capstone DNP project.
Doctor of Nursing Program students listened as Maryann Kaiwi Salvador, FNP-BC ’23 talked about her capstone DNP project.

A two-day program, the DNP Immersion on campus was led by School of Nursing Associate Dean and DNP Director Pam Smith, with the help of faculty members Linda Malone, Sandra Bourgette-Henry, Dana Monday and Marife Aczon-Armstrong. The agenda over the two days included introductions, faculty-led discussions about goals and motivation, scholarly writing and the significance of Hawaiian culture.

Maryann Kaiwi Salvador, DNP, FNP-BC ’24 also presented her capstone project to the group via Zoom, explaining that she focused her research on chronic kidney disease. She told students it’s critical to find an area of interest that keeps them interested—and drives them to contribute more to the field.

“When you think about the development of your DNP project, ask yourself: What is your passion?” Salvador said, during her presentation. “There will be bumps on the road and setbacks, but persevere and be ready to switch gears. Remember that your professors, your instructors, your clinical advisors and your mentors all believe in you. So believe in yourself.”

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Designed for registered nurses or advanced practice nurses, Chaminade’s DNP program emphasizes clinical expertise, leadership and the ability to translate research into practice, making DNPs well-suited to address the healthcare needs of isolated or marginalized populations, program leaders said.

The DNP’s newest cohort members kick off their doctoral journeys amid an ongoing shortage of healthcare professionals across the state, including for nurses—and particularly in specialties like primary care and mental health. Program leaders said DNPs bring advanced training to the field, giving them the ability to diagnose, treat, and manage a wide range of health conditions.

During her presentation, Salvador told students she will be joining Na Pu’uwai Native Hawaiian Health Care Systems on Molokai next week. “So when you think about your DNP project, think of where it might lead you,” she said.

In Chaminade’s DNP program, students can choose from one of four concentrations: Family Nurse Practitioner, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner or Post-Master’s Executive Leader. 

“This DNP program will help you enhance your leadership skills,” Salvador said.

“You’ll get all the encouragement and support you will need from faculty and advisors to continue furthering your education. Congratulations on choosing to pursue your DNP.”

Nurturing Nurses

Answering the call for Hawaii’s need for more healthcare providers

Some graduates work at The Queen’s Medical Center while others are employed by Hawaii Pacific Health and Kaiser Permanente. A few work in telemedicine with Pali Momi and Straub Medical Center. Since the Hawai‘i State Board of Nursing officially gave Chaminade University the green light to launch a nursing program in Fall 2010, the School of Nursing and Health Professions (SNHP) has graduated more than 600 nurses who have contributed to our community’s healthcare needs in various settings, including hospitals, doctors’ offices, clinics and other environments.

“Our nursing program has a highly distinctive approach to nursing,” says Chaminade Provost and Senior Vice President Lance Askildson. “Our graduates are well rounded and play an essential role in their communities to advocate for health promotion.”

Nursing stands as the cornerstone of the healthcare workforce, yet the demand for nurses is poised to escalate in the coming decade. Shifting population dynamics, advancements in technology and evolving healthcare models are set to catalyze an expansion in nursing roles, necessitating a highly educated nursing workforce. Compounded by the aging of the current nursing workforce and the impending wave of retirements, the United States is on track to face a significant nursing shortage by 2025, with Hawai‘i projected to experience a deficit of 3,311 professional nurses, according to an article published in Hawai‘i’s Journal of Medicine & Public Health.

This year's White Coat Ceremony included 119 nursing students who are now officially in their clinical stages of their education.
This year’s White Coat Ceremony included 119 nursing students who are now officially in their clinical stages of their education.

In their research titled, Hawaii’s Nursing Workforce: Keeping Pace with Healthcare, the co-authors Sandra A LeVasseur, Ph.D., RN and Kristine Qureshi, Ph.D., RN, FAAN conclude that as healthcare needs change, academic, healthcare and community partners must be prepared to respond by developing innovative educational delivery models, new specialty programs and diverse clinical placement opportunities to ensure a pipeline of competent nurses across the state.  

“The school just went through an external review” Askildson says. “The purpose of the review was to examine the current curriculum, capacities and profile of the School in order to identify opportunities for strategic investment and change that will strengthen academic excellence and student success in keeping with our University mission and ethos, and the enduring values of our School of Nursing and Health Professions.”

In compiling their report on the SONHP, external reviewers Meredith Kazer, Ph.D., APRN, FAAN, (Team Lead), Beth P. Beckman, DNS, RN, FNP, NEA- BC, FAAN, Carrie M. Oliveira, Ph.D. and Marcia B. Proto, M.Ed, CAS met with faculty, staff, students and administrators, engaging stakeholders indiscussions that explored curricular issues, faculty and staff workload, the University’s commitment to ensuring a developmental approach to nursing and public health education, and exploring opportunities to further integrate SNHP programs in the service of Hawaii and its multicultural peoples.

Furthermore, the reviewers note that the supportive culture that has been created and maintained throughout SNHP and the University is a tremendous strength of the School, and provides a strong foundation upon which to build. Throughout all their meetings, reviewers wrote they found a “strong sense of teamwork and collaboration, and there is a strong mission-focus throughout Chaminade and the SNHP team that embodies the mission in their work.”

Presently, Hawai‘i boasts nine nursing programs dispersed across public and private universities and colleges. These programs have united in their efforts to align with the Institute of Medicine’s recommendations for the future of nursing. Through strategic partnerships and collaboration, the nursing landscape in Hawai‘i is undergoing a transformation. Practice boundaries are expanding, diverse pathways to advanced nursing education are being established, and nurses are forging alliances with other stakeholders to revolutionize healthcare delivery.

To guide strategic planning efforts, the Hawai‘i State Center for Nursing diligently collects and analyzes data on the nursing workforce. This ongoing assessment allows for informed decision-making tailored to the unique needs of the state’s population and healthcare landscape. Identified gaps in nursing specialty education, particularly in areas such as school health and mental health, are being addressed through targeted initiatives aimed at bolstering education and training opportunities in these critical areas.

“We want to continue to invest in our nursing program, which is one of the recommendations of the external reviewers,” Askildson says. “We want to continue to produce nurses without being transactional. Our nursing graduates are prized because they care deeply about their patients since they have a holistic approach to healthcare.”

Board Appointment

Dr. Rhoberta Haley Elected to AACN Board of Directors

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) has announced that Rhoberta Haley, Ph.D., RN, FNP, dean of the School of Nursing and Health Professions at Chaminade University of Honolulu, has been elected to the AACN Board of Directors. She will serve as a Member-at-Large through March 25, 2024. AACN held a special election in August/September to fill an unexpired term on the Board with votes cast by member deans.  

“As the national voice for baccalaureate and graduate nursing education, AACN is committed to transforming health care and helping to lead the drive toward health equity,” said AACN Board Chair Cynthia McCurren, Ph.D, RN in a statement released in February after the organization’s announcement of the results of its 2023 election to fill seats on the AACN Board of Directors and Nominating Committee. “I look forward to collaborating with the new and returning members of the AACN Board and Nominating Committee to magnify the impact AACN has on ensuring quality in nursing education, research and practice.”  

AACN is governed by a 14-member Board of Directors, which includes four elected officers (Chair, Chair-Elect, Treasurer, and Secretary), seven at-large members representing schools of nursing, and two members representing practice. AACN’s President and Chief Executive Officer serves on the Board as an ex-officio member.  

Haley currently serves on the AACN Doctoral Conference Planning Committee, and previously served on the Finance Committee. She has participated in 13 CCNE evaluations for either initial accreditation or re-accreditation as a faculty member, director/dean or consultant. She has been dean at Chaminade University, School of Nursing and Health Professions since 2019.  

According to Haley, the benefits of serving as a Board of Director are many and include: a high level and significant role in advancing excellence in academic nursing; engagement in discussions about strategic goals and priorities, higher education and healthcare issues, and challenges facing the nursing profession.  

AACN is the national voice for university and four-year college education programs in nursing. Representing more than 560 member schools of nursing at public and private institutions nationwide, AACN’s educational, research, governmental advocacy, data collection, publications and other programs work to establish quality standards for bachelors and graduate degrees in nursing education. The governing body also assists deans and directors to implement those standards, influence the nursing profession to improve health care, and promote public support of baccalaureate and graduate nursing education, research and practice. Task forces are appointed by the AACN Board of Directors as issues arise that require study and action.  

AACN’s work to inform members about key issues in higher education includes: offering conference sessions and webinars focused on trends in higher education, including a special panel presentation at the Academic Nursing Leadership Conference in October featuring thought leaders; and advocating for legislation that supports higher education and schools of nursing.