Update on Doctoral Advancement in Nursing

Summit Year: 
2014
Presented By: 
Patricia Tabloski, PhD, RN, FAAN; Vernell DeWitty, PhD, RN
Session Overview:
Describe the outcomes of the Doctoral Advancement in Nursing (DAN) Project based on the tenets of successful strategies faculty may use to support students interested in applying to doctoral nursing programs.

Session Objective:

1. Describe successful strategies that have been used in the pilot phase of the DAN Project. 
2. Discuss the background and purposes of the DAN Project.
3. Discuss the role of nursing faculty in engaging nursing students to encourage their advancement to the doctorate degree.


The powerpoint is at the bottom of this page, you can also learn more about the DAN program here.
Please check back for the session recording.

Patricia Tabloski, PhD, RN, FAAN
Associate Professor
Boston College


Patricia Tabloski has committed her career to the teaching, practice, and study of gerontological nursing. She currently serves as an associate professor at the William F. Connell School of Nursing at Boston College. Tabloski maintained a clinical practice as an advanced practice gerontological nurse in collaboration with two physician colleagues and a multi-disciplinary team for over 20 years. The team provided primary care to nursing home residents at all levels of care. Additionally, she established the first Geriatric Assessment Clinic at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center and arranged clinical placements for many nursing, medical, and social work students over the years. Tabloski has conducted research to improve sleep and reduce delirium using non-pharmacological interventions. She has numerous publications, presentations and citations that attest to her accomplishments as a scholar, clinician and researcher. She has gained a national and international reputation as an expert in the nursing care of the older adult. She has recently completed the third edition of her award winning text book entitled Gerontological Nursing (2013). Tabloski has been awarded fellowship by the Mayday Society, the American Academy of Nursing, and the Gerontological Society of America.

Vernell DeWitty, PhD, RN
Program Deputy Director
New Careers in Nursing


Vernell DeWitty is deputy program director for New Careers in Nursing (NCIN). She was previously employed by the Center for American Nurses where she served as their director of programs. She is the 2014 recipient of the American Nurses Association Mary Mahoney Award in recognition of significant contributions to advancing equal opportunity in nursing for members of minority groups. She has an extensive background in program development and health care and nursing administration. She has served in various administrative capacities in university teaching hospitals as well as community based hospitals; she is a nurse educator, served as guest lecturer for the George Washington University School of Medicine and School of Public Health and was a former adjunct faculty member at the George Mason University College of Health and Human Services.

She earned her doctoral degree from George Mason University and her master’s in Business Administration from Howard University, where she was selected as a member of the Beta Gamma Sigma Business Honor Society. While attending the Catholic University of America, where she earned her master’s degree in Nursing, she was selected as a member of Sigma Theta Tau National Nursing Honor Society. She is also a fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives.