Health care policy – ​​an interview with Dr. Carole Eldridge

Last week I had the respect of speaking with Carole Eldridge, RN, DNP, CNE, NEA-BC, director of graduate programs at Chamberlain College of Nursing. This fall, Chamberlain is launching a brand new Master of Science in Health Care Policy in Nursing track, and I used to be particularly all in favour of learning more about Dr. Eldridge, as I even have followed her on Twitter for years (@Nerdnurse), and about this recent MSN track.

I used to be very impressed after I asked Dr. Eldridge to share her nursing experience with me. Long story short, after about 15 years of intensive care (including intensive care, post-operative care, hemodialysis, and transplantation), Dr. Eldridge and her husband moved to Africa for a few yr to run a health clinic. Upon returning to the United States, she founded the Home Health and Hospice Agency, which has grown to roughly 50 agencies in 4 states! After selling this company, Dr. Eldridge became all in favour of education and saw a necessity for training nursing assistants. She founded her own publishing company that developed training packages. After selling that company, Dr. Eldridge herself returned to highschool to acquire her MSN in Leadership and Health Care, and later her DNP. She taught for about 3 years and has since held various positions including graduate program director, dean, and campus president. Wow!

In her current position, Dr. Eldridge oversees all graduate programs at Chamberlain College of Nursing. As previously mentioned, a brand new Health Care Policy track can be available to MSN students this fall. This development is timely in light of the Institute of Medicine’s report – – and as we approach the presidential election here within the United States. The MSN in Health Care Policy will prepare nurses to actively take part in bill and policy writing, foundations, education and training, academia and research, disease research, health care, and other positions where the voice of nursing will be brought forward to point “nursing path” health care policies that profit patients, communities, our nation, and the world.”

This particular program includes 6 core courses (core concepts, theory, informatics, leadership, research, and basic health policy) and 6 specialized courses (health systems, economics, global health, nurse leadership and health policy, health policy practicum, and capstone design). When asked for more details in regards to the capstone project, Dr. Eldridge gave me several examples that students in similar programs had accomplished, resembling global health care projects, legislative proposals, and collaborative oral testimony. Coursework is flexible, will be accomplished in 2 years, and takes place entirely online.

My favorite a part of our conversation was discussing the upcoming election. Dr. Eldridge reminds us that as nurses we now have a responsibility to interact politically to best advocate for our patients. In particular, we must listen to the next issues:

• Economics – how will health care be financed?
• Affordable Care Act
• An aging population, including the financing of their care and medical devices
• “Equal access”
• Epidemiology
• Vaccinations
• Global healthcare

Remember, Florence Nightingale was our first political activist. As nurses, let’s be educated on this issue and share our voices. There are over 3 million of us – it is crucial that we’re heard!

The way forward for nursing: leading changes, advances in health

Keeping Health Care Reform Healthy and Patients Informed (American Nurses Association)

ANA Policy and Advocacy Page

ANA Nurse Strategic Action Team (N-STAT)