TWU Names New Nursing Dean

4/23/04

DENTON – Making the Texas Woman's University College of Nursing the leader in nursing research and education in Texas and a model for the entire United States is the goal of Dr. Marcia Hern, the college's new dean. Dr. Hern begins her duties at TWU on Aug. 16.

“Dr. Hern has a unique understanding of what is required to produce the highest quality nurses to meet the demands of the 21st century,” said Dr. Carolyn Gunning, TWU interim provost and former College of Nursing dean. “She's the ideal choice to launch the college's next half century.” The TWU College of Nursing is celebrating its golden anniversary in 2004.

Dr. Hern currently is director of nursing for the Cincinnati Children's Division of Developmental Disabilities and executive director for community outreach and development for the University of Cincinnati College of Nursing. She is a professor of nursing at the University of Cincinnati and was head of the Department of Parent Child Health Nursing at UC. She also had taught at Xavier University.

“It will be our challenge at TWU to broaden our scholarship so that all faculty embody research into their teaching,” said Dr. Hern. “As we prepare nurses for the 21st century we must still impart the essence of caring to patients across the lifespan, at moments of birth and death, in hospitals, homes, schools and industries. But now, more than ever, we must also draw upon the knowledge of the science of nursing that is embedded in evidence-based research.”

Dr. Hern earned her bachelor of science degree in nursing from Ohio State University and her master's and Ed.D degrees from the University of Cincinnati.

“Our future nurses must be able to think critically and quickly to make sound clinical decisions with limited resources,” added Dr. Hern. “We cannot do this alone but must partner with our colleagues in other health care disciplines to ensure nursing has a seat at the interdisciplinary and global table.”

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For Further Information Contact:

Roy Kron
Director of News and Information
Tel: (940) 898-3456
e-mail: rkron@twu.edu