Clarion, Edinboro, & Slippery Rock Universities Master of Science in Nursing Programs

I am in the Nurse Educator track with an anticipated graduation of May 2007. I graduated from IUP in 1990 with a BSN so going back to school 14 years and 4 children later was a pretty big step for me. I have never regretted a moment of it. I choose the Clarion, Edinboro, and Slippery Rock joint Master's Program because it is a well respected advanced nursing program and it provided the flexibility for me to further my education and continue to work full time. The professors in the program are distinguished nurse educators and practitioners and maintain a mutual respect for the students in the program.

Even though much of the coursework is online, the professors are readily available whenever you need them. The program made the transition back to college an easy one for me. I also was drawn to this program because of the availability of resources from all three universities, and believe me, you will use them. I feel that after I graduate from this program I will be academically and clinically prepared to teach at any university nursing program. If you are looking to continue your nursing education, I strongly urge you to take a closer look at this program and all that it has to offer.

If you have any specific questions or concerns feel free to contact me via e-mail at s_ddschrader@clarion.edu.

Pat Pulito

I am currently in my final year of the MSN-Nurse Educator program. I work full time, have been married 27 years and have three kids, the last of whom left the nest for college this past fall. I started the program in January 2004, so completion as a part-time student has taken me three and a half years. I have been very pleased with the MSN program, and quite surprised at how different it is from my undergraduate nursing training (which I completed in 1978!). Though each is an expert in a specific field, the professors function primarily as facilitators who are readily available to help the students meet their particular learning goals. I think I have been MOST impressed with the quality of the teachers--both as educators and as people!

My background has been mostly in long-term care. Realizing I wanted to complete my MSN, and recognizing that clinical instructors do need to be proficient in acute care skills, I returned to acute care after many years absence. Oh my....how things had changed! I completed a refresher course in nursing in 2004 and returned to the frontline as a staff nurse in the cardiac telemetry unit at St. Vincent Health Center in Erie. The learning curve involved in going from long-term care to acute care was mighty steep, but I am glad I made the "climb."

I have surprised myself in how many ways I have grown since starting this program. My professors have pushed and prodded and introduced me to concepts and ideas I have previously avoided. I always liked the sciences--so pharmacology, which was one of the hardest classes I have ever taken, was one I thoroughly enjoyed. Nursing theory on the other hand was a class I did not eagerly anticipate. I had an image of that topic being too "out there" for a concrete learner like myself. I dreaded reading about all those abstract concepts and theories designed by people who I assumed were so far removed from actual nursing practice that they might as well be in outer space! What a surprise to find that I actually enjoyed reading about the different theories. Contrary to my preconceived notions, the theorists were pioneers and innovators in our field. Most developed theories that originated with their own practice of nursing. My research partners and I discovered a theorist whose theory of caring became the basis of our own research project.

The program is designed so later classes really do build on concepts and skills learned in earlier classes. And regardless of what type of learner the student is--abstract or concrete--the student can't help but to grow as both a person and a nursing professional!

I can see the "finish line" in sight! I feel passionate about the art and science of nursing--even if I find the profession to be very frustrating and challenging at times. I look forward to being able to inspire new nurses to embrace lifelong learning and the profession of nursing.

Please feel free to email me at ppulito@zoominternet.net with any questions.