By Jennifer Lollar
U.S. News & World Report, in its survey of the Best Graduate Nursing Schools for 2020, has ranked five University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing graduate specialties in the top 10 and one in the top 15. U.S News ranks eight graduate nursing specialties annually.
The School’s Master of Science in Nursing and Doctor of Nursing Practice programs also continue to be highly ranked in the top 10 percent of nursing schools nationwide. The MSN program is 18th and the DNP program is 16th, making UAB the 9th and 8th public schools of nursing in the country for master’s and DNP education. Schools of nursing master’s and doctoral programs also are ranked yearly.
The School also recently received its online graduate program rankings from U.S. News & World Report - overall its online graduate programs ranked 16th nationally.
UAB School of Nursing Dean and Fay B. Ireland Chair Doreen Harper, PhD, RN, FAAN, said achieving top tier national rankings yearly for the School’s graduate specialties, as well as MSN and DNP programs, reflects the quality of all of the undergraduate and graduate programs offered.
“We are honored our School and programs continue to be recognized by U.S. News & World Report as among the best in our field,” she said. “The sustained impact on nursing and health care of all of our programs and specialties across our education, research and practice missions is a tribute to the commitment to excellence by our faculty, staff, students, alumni and supporters.”
She added that the sustained recognition by U.S. News is further testament to the School’s position as a leader in recruiting and preparing the future educated nursing workforce to face the increased challenges and demands in health care.
“Our students are highly talented, ambitious and dedicated to the nursing profession. And, our faculty, staff and alumni are vested in mentoring them to become compassionate nursing leaders committed to improving the health and quality of care for individuals, families and populations worldwide.”
For the Best Nursing Schools rankings, U.S. News surveyed the 584 nursing schools with master’s or doctoral programs accredited in late summer 2018 by either the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education or the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing. In total 279 nursing programs responded to the U.S. News nursing statistical data collection.
Harper cautioned that while rankings are valuable, it is important not to lose sight of the big picture.
“We must remember that excellence in nursing is not only measured by rankings and other accolades, it also is measured by the care we provide patients with increasing rates of chronic diseases, especially those in rural and underserved areas; the leadership role we play in the discovery and translation of novel and cost-effective care models; and the education and development of nurse leaders who are helping forge creative change to advance health locally and globally, improving quality of life for all patients and families.”