News Release

May 2, 2006
Contact: Kaylyn Kendall Dines
Phone: (973) 972-3000
dineskd@umdnj.edu

UMDNJ Celebrates National Nurses Week (May 6-12)
Amid Growing National Demand for Nurses

NEWARK—More than 2.4 million nurses comprise the largest group of healthcare professionals in the United States, yet the need for new nurses is expected to rise dramatically over the next several years. During National Nurses Week, observed May 6 through May 12, leaders at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey point out the critical role of nurses and encourage men and women to consider nursing as a career.

The University Hospital is hosting several Nurses Week events at UMDNJ's Newark Campus including a lecture on providing quality care for people of diverse cultures and a poster display on strategies to improve nursing practice.

On Monday, May 8, from 9 to 11 a.m., Dr. Dula Pacquiao, associate professor at UMDNJ-School of Nursing, will present "The Moral Imperative of Cultural Competence," in Room B-610 of the Medical Science Building. On Tuesday, May 9 from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m., nurses from University Hospital will display posters and be on hand to discuss "Research and Performance Improvement: In Support of Best Nursing Practice," in the Rosemarie Gallene Room of the Medical Science Building.

"Nurses will continue to be in great demand for the foreseeable future and the expanding role of nurses in all settings means that there are growing opportunities for nurses with advanced degrees," said Dr. Sara Torres, dean of the UMDNJ-School of Nursing. "For individuals seeking a rewarding career that can positively impact the lives of patients and their families, nursing is a great choice."

Just ask Hermann Logang. He was a successful engineer when he decided to pursue a career in nursing. His father, a retired physician, and his wife, a nurse, were Logang’s inspirations for becoming a nurse. The Bloomfield resident, who had already earned an undergraduate degree in civil engineering, enrolled in UMDNJ's Accelerated Second-Degree Program for Non-Nurses. He graduated in May 2004 with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.).

Designed for students who have a bachelor's degree in another field, the program offers a streamlined curriculum combining undergraduate and graduate study. The program attracts many non-traditional nursing students and offers a fast track toward earning both a B.S.N. and Master of Science degree in nursing.

Although Logang formerly held positions as a project engineer for a company in Paris and a quality control specialist for an Arizona firm, today he is a registered nurse working in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit at the UMDNJ-University Hospital. He also is continuing his studies at UMDNJ, expecting to complete the nursing school's M.S.N. program in 2008.

While Logang represents a new wave of nursing professionals, Chris McCallion's career exemplifies the dedication and life-long learning that often defines careers in nursing.

A registered nurse who serves as director of Patient Care Services for the Medical-Surgical and Psychiatry units at The University Hospital, McCallion holds a B.S.N. degree and a master’s degree in Community Nursing Administration. She also received a Post-Master’s Certificate from the Adult Health Nurse Practitioner program at UMDNJ-School of Nursing.

Although she has held numerous high-level management positions during her 27-year career at UMDNJ-University Hospital, she recently accepted the role as interim vice president of Patient Care Services at the hospital.

McCallion has never stopped believing in the importance of interacting with patients. "I always make sure to spend a significant part of my part of my day with patients and their families. There's nothing more rewarding," she said.

UMDNJ is the nations largest free-standing public health sciences university with more than 5,500 students attending the states three medical schools, its only dental school, a graduate school of biomedical sciences, a school of health related professions, a school of nursing and its only school of public health, on five campuses. Last year, there were more than two million patient visits to UMDNJ facilities and faculty at campuses in Newark, New Brunswick/Piscataway, Scotch Plains, Camden and Stratford. UMDNJ operates University Hospital, a Level 1 Trauma Center in Newark, and University Behavioral HealthCare, a mental health and addiction services network.

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NOTE TO EDITORS AND REPORTERS: Reporters are invited to attend Nurses Week events at The University Hospital or to interview the administrators and nurses mentioned. For more information, or to arrange an interview, please contact Kaylyn Dines at 973-972-5000.